ACHC symposium: Predicting and Communicating Health Risks

On November 12, 2024, the ACHC symposium took place, centered on the theme of ‘Predicting and Communicating Health Risks’. During the symposium, speakers from both academia and practice shared their insights. Topics included how to effectively communicate personalized risks to patients, with a presentation by Ruben Vromans from Tilburg University. Maarten Bijlsma (Integraal Kankercentrum Nederland) discussed the potential health effects of achieving the goals of the Dutch Cancer Agenda. Nida Gizem Yilmaz (University of Amsterdam) presented how Values Clarification Methods can assist cancer patients in making treatment decisions. Meefa Hogenes (ExpertDoc) provided an overview of the development of medical decision support systems that have been integrated into the General Practitioner Information System over the years. Leonie Westerbeek (University of Amsterdam) highlighted the potential of technology and predictive models in healthcare to forecast risks and facilitate shared decision-making. In addition to these presentations, five brief ‘Blitz Presentations’ offered insights into recent research findings in the field of risk communication. The day concluded with an inspiring keynote lecture by Danielle Timmermans (Amsterdam UMC). Her presentation, titled ‘Risk communication and health: more than the numbers’, demonstrated how choices surrounding health and prevention are strongly influenced by how risk information is communicated and processed.