Peter Vermeylen

Peter Vermeylen has been the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of University Hospital Antwerp (UZA) since June 2023. With more than two decades of experience, he is making a difference in the healthcare sector, especially in the areas of digital transformation, innovation and data management.

As CIO of the UZA, Peter is responsible for defining and implementing the IT strategy during a period of intensive digital transformation. UZA plays a central role in the healthcare sector of the Antwerp region, with a strong focus on complex care, education, research and innovation. Under his leadership, UZA’s IT department is evolving from a support service to a strategy-oriented partner, actively contributing to the hospital’s core activities.

The long-term ambition of the UZA is to play a pioneering role together with UAntwerpen in the development of the ‘Antwerp Health Harbour’, an innovative healthcare ecosystem that addresses complex healthcare issues. In this pioneering role, the UZA is today building the hospital of the future. In addition to physical infrastructure improvements, this project also includes a large digital and data-driven component.

Peter is committed to further expanding and optimizing the Electronic Patient Record (‘Elektronisch Patiëntendossier’) and revamping the Hospital Information System (‘Ziekenhuisinformatiesysteem’). In addition, the UZA is playing a pioneering role in the development of the virtual hospital, where patients are monitored and treated remotely. This care is offered as much as possible in the home environment, which fits within the broader trend of preventive care and the evolution from disease care to health care.

He is also committed to making better use of data within healthcare. Under his leadership, the UZA is taking steps to develop a data lake and advanced data strategies that will make care more efficient and contribute to scientific research and personalized medicine. Together with the UZA Foundation, he created the Digital Twin project to build digital models that support early diagnoses and better treatments. While he recognizes the challenges around data, interoperability, privacy and ethics, he especially sees the opportunities to improve care with data-driven solutions.

Data also plays a crucial role in UZA’s educational mission. Turning data into meaningful information is essential to the hospital’s knowledge mission. Pilot projects using AR and VR for knowledge sharing are underway, and here too there are many opportunities to explore further.

Thanks to his experience and vision of healthcare, Peter Vermeylen is a driving force behind the digital innovations that position UZA as a forerunner in the healthcare sector. His work not only improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the hospital, but also contributes to broader societal goals, such as improving the health and well-being of the population in and outside Antwerp.

Since 2020, Peter has chaired the CIOforum Belgian Business, where he shares his insights with other IT leaders and works to professionalize the IT function in Belgium. The CIOforum inspires, shares knowledge and harnesses the power of networking to support its members.

Peter’s leadership style is characterized by a focus on coaching and creating a culture of trust and transparency. He challenges his team intellectually and supports them in their development into a high-performing team, which he considers crucial to the success of any digital transformation.