In this interview, Almar Overgaauw (Managing BI Consultant) & Anna Kroeze (Data Consultant) talk about their joint project. They are helping a hospital develop a new data platform that will become the source for the entire information system. Read in this article how they approach it.
You are working together on a project. Can you tell us more about it?
Almar
A hospital recently updated its EHR, the electronic health record. Because the source of the data has changed, the existing dashboards and reports no longer work. At this hospital, we are developing a new data platform that will serve as the source for the entire hospital's information system. For this information provision, we combine EHR data, financial data, and HR data. We are building one data platform and implementing Microsoft Power BI to unlock, combine, and visualize datasets from the various sources.
Anna
We started by modifying some elements in the current environment so they can continue to access reports on surgeries or consultations during the transition. In parallel, we are developing the new data platform. For this, we use the ilionx data warehouse framework and build the dashboards and reports in Power BI. It is a complex challenge to develop, especially because the whole system needs to remain manageable and scalable—and, of course, understandable for the users.
Almar
Our goal is to deliver a solution without extra steps or redundant storage and with consistent logic. We don't want to reinvent the wheel. That's why we use the ilionx data warehouse framework. Many technical steps and design decisions have already been made in this framework based on best practices at other organizations. Because we don’t have to make those decisions again, we were able to start working with this hospital's data right away. Naturally, we also train the hospital’s team so they can continue developing the data platform on their own in the future.
Anna
Organizations often have their own ideas, and we never know exactly what we'll encounter. Think of data platforms with unique setups or tables that can’t be interpreted one-to-one due to unreadable keys and complex data models. In this case, the hospital wanted additional information on top of the existing data warehouse. So we had to come up with a solution. But whatever we face, with the knowledge of our ilionx data colleagues, we always find the best solution.
Almar
We bring in all our knowledge and work step by step toward the end result. By delivering small, working parts of the solution and explaining everything clearly, we always manage to get the clients on board—especially when they see that something actually works.
Anna
The implementation of BI is often also a change process, which some people find difficult. That’s why we keep everyone informed—in the right way and at the right pace. For this client, that includes giving training sessions to hospital users who will soon be building reports themselves.
Almar
In the end, we’re going to deliver something really great for them.
What do you particularly enjoy about working at ilionx?
Almar
Because of the unit structure at ilionx, the units have a lot of freedom to do business. At previous employers, if I wanted to take a training course, I had to go through four levels of approval. At ilionx, it's different—we have a lot of freedom and space in the units. I more or less grew into my current position as the organization expanded, and ilionx always supported me with that, for example by offering lead consultant training.
Anna
The foundation of ilionx is broad, but it feels small-scale. There’s a strong focus on individuals, and you can easily approach anyone. People are accessible and willing to help—if you have a question, you can ask it in the unit’s app group and you always get a response. I recently took a data engineering training that was delivered by a fellow ilionx colleague. That shows just how much expertise we have in the organization.
How did you end up at ilionx?
Almar
During my studies in business informatics, I did an internship at an IT company that mainly served SME clients and stayed there for three years. Because I wanted to see the inside of larger companies, I started working at an IT company with very large clients. But eventually, I felt like just a number there. ilionx strikes a balance between large and small. It's a sizeable organization, but thanks to the structure with offices and units, it doesn’t feel that way. For me, that’s exactly right.
Anna
I studied medicine and then completed a PhD in blood disorders and the immune system. During my research, I discovered that I found data science really fascinating. It gives a real kick when you write a model and it delivers a useful prediction. I realized I would be happier working with data than as a doctor. A friend of mine, also a doctor, was already working at ilionx, and after completing my PhD, I joined in 2019.
Almar
I was the first and only BI consultant at the Utrecht office in 2013. The unit now consists of 35 people. I’ve grown along with it—from a mid-level consultant working for various clients to now leading a team of 9 consultants. It’s really fun to take on different roles, from manager, technical lead, or project leader to sometimes being a scrum master.
Anna
I also enjoy variety. When I started, I first got to build technical knowledge in BI. Since then, I’ve worked on many projects—usually several at the same time—and so far, all of them have been in healthcare, which isn’t surprising given my background. It's very interesting and educational to see how things work in different places and to collaborate with many people.
Also want to work in the healthcare sector? Then check out the current opportunities here.