UMC Utrecht recognised that patients often experience their journey through the hospital as fragmented and difficult to oversee. Information, handovers and responsibilities do not always align seamlessly, while the need for clarity, predictability and human attention is especially high in vulnerable moments. At the same time, the organisation was undergoing broader transformation, creating momentum to rethink how the patient journey is understood and improved. The challenge was to develop a shared, patient-centred view of this journey that could bring focus, alignment and guidance for future choices, without oversimplifying the complexity of care.

We supported UMC Utrecht with a structured research and co-creation trajectory. The process combined analysis of existing studies and data with a knowledge and data sprint involving professionals from across the organisation. Central to the approach was co-creation and validation with patients, representing different situations, needs and levels of self-reliance. Through multiple sessions and interviews, experiences, pain points and strengths were explored and synthesised. These insights were translated into a coherent framework that connects patient perspectives to organisational decision-making, supported by clear tools to compare, prioritise and align initiatives.

The outcome is a shared framework that helps UMC Utrecht look at the patient journey as an integrated whole. It provides common language, structure and guidance to identify improvement opportunities and make informed choices between initiatives. Rather than prescribing solutions, the result offers direction and a consistent way of working that can be applied over time. It enables teams to align efforts, avoid fragmentation and keep patient perspective central in ongoing development and prioritisation.