Anne Marie Plass appointed new professor in Client Perspective in Support and Care

Anne Marie Plass has started as the new professor in Client Perspectives in (Health) Care and Welfare at the Knowledge Centre for Social Innovations Flevoland of Windesheim University of Applied Sciences. She previously worked as Manager of Research and Education in Paramedical Studies at Inholland University of Applied Sciences. Drawing on her knowledge and practical experience as a social science researcher, she looks forward to contributing to the research activities of the research group.

In her previous role, one of her key ambitions was to strengthen the connection between research and education. Anne Marie explains: “I believe in the power of research conducted with and from practice. Thinking from the client’s perspective in healthcare is closely linked to good communication. By taking the time for someone and genuinely listening to his or her story, a healthcare professional can arrive at a more concrete diagnosis. This ultimately saves both time and costs.”

Matthijs Brouwer, Director of the Knowledge Centre for Social Innovations Flevoland, is looking forward to working with Anne Marie. Matthijs says: “Improving the quality of care and support from the perspective of users, in close collaboration with practice, has been the common thread throughout her career so far. This makes her well suited for the role of Professor of Applied Sciences for the research group Client Perspective in Support and Care.”

Client perspective at the core

In her new position as Professor of Applied Sciences, Anne Marie aims to further develop her research into improving the quality of healthcare and social support from the users’ perspective. Central to this approach are the wishes and needs of (future) users. For example: what are their needs, and how can these be measured? Equally important is cooperation between care providers themselves. This requires adaptation on the part of both professionals and care users. Anne Marie states: “I advocate greater attention to the client perspective, because healthcare is still too often not organised from the client’s point of view. In addition to the expertise of care professionals, the expertise of the care user is also essential. Knowledge about their personal situation to arrive at the most appropriate care. This aspect is still frequently overlooked.”

About Anne Marie

Anne Marie has a multidisciplinary background. She studied Industrial Design Engineering at Delft University of Technology and Social and Health Psychology at the University of Amsterdam. She then obtained a PhD in Medicine, specialising in doctor–patient communication. Furthermore, she also worked for many years in the medical field. This makes her well-equipped to approach the challenges surrounding the transformation of healthcare from multiple perspectives. Anne Marie concludes: “Respect and equality are essential for good care and support, for all parties involved. In this way, together with the research group, I hope to make a positive contribution to the healthcare climate.”

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