Even better digital care thanks to Wit-Gele Kruis and Nexuzhealth

How do you translate the needs of home nurses into software that is truly usable in daily practice? When developing new applications for primary care, Nexuzhealth works closely with care organisations such as Wit-Gele Kruis. This co-creation process involves intensive consultation, testing and adjustments. Wendy Coemans, project coordinator at Wit-Gele Kruis Limburg, explains the collaboration.

Wit-Gele Kruis in Flemish Brabant, East Flanders and Limburg (WGK BOL) is working with Nexuzhealth on an Electronic Nursing Record (ENR) that will include all the functionalities of a modern record. To achieve this ambition, WGK BOL set up a project organisation with a sponsor, steering and working group. They determine which elements are essential to optimally support nurses.

“One integrated health record is crucial for home nurses,” says Wendy Coemans. “We want to share relevant information securely with partners in both primary and secondary care. We know exactly what we need from our current electronic records and processes, but we need a technical partner to remain future-proof and secure. We are care experts, not technology professionals. That’s why we need a partner who translates our practice into user-friendly software — and that’s exactly what Nexuzhealth does.”

Insights through observation

To correctly map nurses’ needs, Nexuzhealth’s functional analysts joined home visits. These field observations provided crucial insights. “You see where nurses and administrative staff struggle, what they miss in their tools and what already works well,” says Daphne Conings, functional analyst at Nexuzhealth.

From high-level needs to concrete functionality

In the analysis phase, we gathered all needs around the patient overview. Through thematic sessions, we developed a roadmap that formed the basis for the working groups where both organisations built concrete solutions. “Every Tuesday we meet with a fixed group,” says Wendy Coemans. “We align across the three provinces and involve extra experts for specific topics. This ensures broad support for the input.”

The working groups required close coordination between both organisations. “We often start from the bigger picture,” says Wendy Coemans. “Nexuzhealth prefers small, testable steps. By aligning regularly, we translate our vision into concrete components and grow together towards a structured whole.”

Clickable designs make the difference

A key success factor in the collaboration is the clickable mock-ups provided by Nexuzhealth. “These visual designs allow us to understand early on how certain functionality will work. They show much more than a static screenshot — they make the abstract tangible,” says Evy Verbruggen. “Users see what will be built and can give targeted feedback before development starts. We divide each theme into small puzzle pieces that can be tested individually. This keeps the process clear and allows quick adjustments.”

From development to testing and feedback

Three principles are central to every development: the software must be easy to use, minimise administration and support care quality. Once a functionality is developed, it is delivered with a so-called release note. This enables the three provinces of Wit-Gele Kruis to test in a targeted way. Each team does this in its own way, but with a common goal: providing workable feedback. “We have evolved from cumbersome spreadsheets to professional tools,” says Wendy Coemans. “This makes follow-up much more efficient.”

The collaboration also teaches both organisations to look differently at testing. “We would prefer to test the whole puzzle at once,” says Wendy Coemans, “but we have learned that it works better to evaluate piece by piece. Still, we keep broader feedback so we can provide it at the right time.”

Result: a usable patient overview

A concrete result of this collaboration is the new patient overview for home nursing. Nurses see on one screen both the care to be provided and relevant patient information: the latest parameters, observations, health elements, medication, active care tasks… “This way they are well prepared, even if it’s a patient they haven’t seen for a while.”

The overview is available on tablet and in the web application and was designed in close collaboration with end users. “Together we determined which information should be displayed and how it should be grouped,” explains Evy. The result is an application that is relevant for nurses, administrative staff and head nurses.

Co-creation as a structural approach

The collaboration between Nexuzhealth and Wit-Gele Kruis shows that co-creation goes beyond consultation moments. It is a structural approach where practical experience and technical expertise come together. This process is not without challenges, but it delivers software that is usable from day one. “Growth happens together. And to achieve success, you sometimes have to fall and get back up,” concludes Wendy Coemans. “But one thing is certain: this collaboration leads to widely supported solutions.”

The project is in full development to go live in phases by 2027.