About us

Founded on experience.
Driven by mission.

At Healthbridgers, we believe that healthcare must become more efficient, sustainable, and people-centered — not just in theory, but in practice.

Founded by two healthcare professionals with over 30 years of combined clinical experience, we help organizations translate strategy into action and innovation into results.

We know the gap between policy and practice. That’s why we do what we do: building bridges between ideas, people, and systems.

Why: our purpose

We are intrinsically motivated to improve healthcare for patients, caregivers, and society.
Our ambition is a future-proof healthcare system that remains human, accessible, and accountable.

That’s why our mission is to bridge the gap between healthcare and innovation — turning high-potential ideas into measurable, lasting impact.

How: our approach

With over 30 years of clinical and strategic experience, we understand how healthcare really works.

We connect stakeholders, build trust, and navigate complexity with clarity and speed. Our methods are pragmatic, human-centered, and always aligned with the realities of care delivery.

What: our focus

We work across three core areas:

- Medical innovation & implementation

- Strategy & organizational transformation

- Training & institutional support

Each project is tailored, collaborative, and designed to deliver results — fast.

Our core values

People-first consultants
We work with heart and treat every stakeholder as a full partner.
Purpose-driven & experienced
We’re grounded in real clinical practice and motivated by mission, not ego.
From insight to implementation
We bring structure, calm and clarity to complex change.
Evidence-based innovation
We turn data into decisions, and strategy into scalable solutions.
Connectors & enablers
We move across systems and sectors to unite people and ideas.

Who we are

Founded in the Netherlands, Healthbridgers is the result of decades of frontline healthcare experience, combined with an intrinsic desire to make care better; for people, for systems, and for the planet.

We understand that real change doesn’t happen in reports or boardrooms, but through collaboration, ownership, and practical steps. That’s why we stand not beside, but with our clients — as a strategic partner, a sparring partner, and an implementation expert.

Healthbridgers | Closing the gap between healthcare and innovation

Hospital Pharmacist | Co-Founder Healthbridgers | Certified in Research & Education | Senior Researcher | Medical Innovator & Transformer | Keynote Speaker

Pubmed

Roelof van Leeuwen, PharmD, PhD

Roelof is well known as the efficiency and sustainability go-getter of the medical field.

With a sharp analytical mind and an unwavering drive to improve, Roelof turns complexity into clarity. Based on thorough research and deep field experience, this fact finder connects dots and people, translating insights into actionable, scalable solutions. His mission: to improve healthcare systems by making them smarter, leaner, and greener.

By bridging science, practice and policy, Roelof empowers healthcare professionals to do what they do best, while reducing unnecessary workload, cutting emissions, and enhancing the patient experience. His energy, integrity and hands-on mentality make him a trusted advisor, a natural team player, and a catalyst for real change.

As a front runner in multiple national and EU healthcare innovation programs, Roelof brings a high-impact network and a reputation for delivering results to the table. If you have a bold healthcare ambition, Roelof is your strategic sparring partner to make it happen.

Focus: Innovation with purpose – Operational efficiency – Human-centered care – Environmental responsibility – Integrity – Action over words – Best-in-class delivery.

Michiel Zietse, PharmD
PhD Candidate at Erasmus MC

Michiel is driven by the ambition to help keep healthcare accessible, effective, and sustainable for the future.

With master’s degrees in Pharmacy and in Health Economics, Policy and Law, and through his PhD work at Erasmus University Medical Center, he has built his expertise around the efficient organisation of care and the responsible use of healthcare resources.

His background lies in questions of healthcare capacity, administration efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and environmental sustainability. He is particularly interested in how healthcare can be organised in ways that support patients, reduce pressure on professionals, and contribute to the long-term sustainability of the healthcare system.

Michiel believes that meaningful improvement starts with bringing together different perspectives from across healthcare. He enjoys working at the intersection of practice, policy, and evidence, helping stakeholders find common ground and move complex questions towards clear and workable solutions.

At Healthbridgers, he brings an analytical mindset, a strong sense of purpose, and a collaborative approach to helping clients turn complex challenges into practical and relevant solutions.

Associate Healthbridgers