At the NVvTG Congress 2026, organised by the Nederlandse Vereniging voor Technische Geneeskunde, the growing role of Technical Medicine in healthcare was clearly visible.

Throughout the day, a wide range of topics was covered — from Health Technology Assessment and AI in the clinic to 3D technologies, digital twins, and applications in both hospital and primary care settings. Together, these sessions illustrated the breadth of the field and, importantly, the role of Technical Medicine as a bridge between technological innovation and clinical practice.

A recurring theme was the importance of translating technology into real-world impact. Innovation alone is not enough, its value lies in successful implementation in healthcare practice. This requires close collaboration between clinicians, engineers, data scientists and other disciplines.

This interdisciplinary approach is at the core of Convergence Health & Technology. During the congress, we engaged with students and professionals to showcase how Technical Medicine plays a role within our projects from remote monitoring and rehabilitation at home to data-driven decision-making and advanced surgical technologies.

The strong interest in these projects reflects the relevance of working at the intersection of technology, medicine and societal challenges.

Technical Medicine in SMART OR2030
A clear example of this approach is the SMART OR2030 project, where researchers and clinicians work together on smarter, more efficient surgical care through the use of data, 3D technologies and advanced decision support.