You will be part of the project “Optimizing osteoporosis treatment outcomes: shared-decision making and adherence support program” that has been granted by ZonMw Goed Gebruik Geneesmidelen Open Ronde 6. This project aims to assess the (cost-) effectiveness of a multicomponent adherence intervention - combining a patient decision aid with a nurse-led adherence support program including one extra visit -in patients with a recent fracture visiting the Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) clinic. A one-year trial including 210 patients will be conducted to compare the effects of the intervention with usual care in two FLS clinics (MUMC+, Viecuri). It is hypothesized that the new intervention will improve decision quality, medication adherence and  persistence, and  costs. The lifetime cost-effectiveness of the intervention compared to usual care will be estimated using a decision-analytic modelling.

You will be the junior researcher of this project and will have a leading role in optimizing the patient decision aid, in the preparation of the nurse-led adherence support, in the preparation of the RCT, in data collection and analysis, in the development of the cost-effectiveness model and in writing several scientific publications. The project will result in doctoral thesis. You will collaborate with several researchers and experts with different expertise required for conducting this project.

For this project you will be working within the department of Health Services Research of the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences and the Department of Rheumatology of Maastricht University Medical Center +. The department of rheumatology is an expertise center in the area of osteoporosis.

• You have a master’s degree in medicine, health economics, public health or related discipline with a substantial component of research training or relevant research experience.
• You are enthusiastic, like contact with patients and want to improve patient care.
• You have a demonstrated interest and understanding of health technology assessment and economic evaluation.
• You are versatile (a generalist) and able to contribute to multidisciplinary research.
• You have excellent writing skills (both in Dutch and English), and preferably have earlier published publications
• You are able to work independently, to take initiatives and capable of managing deadlines.
• You have good communication skills to motivate a team to work towards the common success of a  project 
• You are available for 48 months for this project starting from December 1st, 2017.

Fixed-term contract: 4 years.

Temporary employment for 4 years.

Your salary would be € 2.222,- gross per month in the first year up to € 2.840,- gross per month in the fourth year according to the PhD-student salary scale.

Each year an evaluation will take place.

The terms of employment of Maastricht University are set out in the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO). Furthermore, local UM provisions also apply. For more information look at the website www.maastrichtuniversity.nl > Support > UM employees.

An evaluation will take place at the final stage of the selection procedure. The aim here is that both the assessment committee as well as the applicant together are able to ensure a well-informed deliberation in order to commence the PhD trajectory.

Maastricht University is renowned for its unique, innovative, problem-based learning system, which is characterized by a small-scale and student-oriented approach. Research at UM is characterized by a multidisciplinary and thematic approach, and is concentrated in research institutes and schools. Maastricht University has around 16,500 students and 4,000 employees. Reflecting the university's strong international profile, a fair amount of both students and staff are from abroad. The university hosts 6 faculties: Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Faculty of Law, School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience.

The mission of the Department of Health Services Research is to improve quality of life, quality and efficiency of chronic care and care of older people. We do this by studying and teaching innovations in a multidisciplinary way addressing the broad spectrum from prevention to palliative care. https://hsr.mumc.maastrichtuniversity.nl/

The scientific research of the department of Internal Medicine combines basic science with translational and clinical research. Our department performs research in the divisions General Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, Haematology, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Medical Oncology, Nephrology and Rheumatology. https://internalmedicine.mumc.maastrichtuniversity.nl

The departments are part of School Caphri (Care and Public Health Research Institute) of the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/research/school-caphri-care-and-public-health-research-institute