PhD Collaboration and Capacity Challenges in Healthcare Supply Networks

Since its foundation in 1614, the University of Groningen has enjoyed an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative center of higher education offering high-quality teaching and research. Belonging to the best research universities of Europe and joining forces with prestigious partner universities and networks, the University of Groningen is truly an international place of knowledge.

Faculty of Economics and Business
The Faculty of Economics and Business offers an inspiring study and working environment for students and employees. International accreditation enables the Faculty to assess performance against the highest international standards. It also creates an exciting environment of continuous improvement. FEB's programmes, academic staff and research do well on various excellence ranking lists.

FEBRI, the graduate school and research institute of the Faculty of Economics and Business has one PhD position in the field of Collaboration and Capacity Challenges in Healthcare Supply Networks available.

Project description
Governments, policy makers and healthcare purchasers face the enormous challenge to contain healthcare costs. In response to the growing costs, healthcare organizations are forming healthcare supply networks to deliver the right care in the right place. These networks are formed for specific specialties and medical conditions, such as vascular and heart diseases, oncology, and arthrosis. A key challenge within these networks is the reallocation of care (e.g. concentration of complex care) among the network members and the direct consequences of the reallocation for patients, medical professionals and healthcare organizations. The PhD position will focus on these consequences of the reallocation of care and specifically on the consequences for the individual medical professional (e.g., concentration of expertise), for patients (accessibility in relation to capacity issues), and for healthcare organizations as they often participate in several networks simultaneously.

The PhD position is embedded in the research programme OPERA of FEB’s Research Institute. The project will be supervised by Dr Gerdien Regts – Walters, Dr Thomas Bortolotti, and Prof. Taco van der Vaart.

The ideal candidate is ambitious, highly motivated and wishes to make a career in research. You have a thorough training in research skills, speaks and writes English fluently and has obtained excellent results in the Master phase.
The PhD candidate should have a background (MSc, Research Master) in Operations and Supply Chain Management, Organizational Behavior, or general management and business administration. Ideally, the candidate should be fluent in Dutch and have a strong interest for the healthcare sector.

We offer you in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities:

• a gross monthly salary from a minimum of € 2,770 which increases yearly to a maximum of € 3,539
• an additional 8% holiday allowance each year in May, and an additional 8.3 % end of year bonus in December
• a temporary full-time appointment for a period of four years, under the condition of a positive assessment at the end of the first year. PhD candidates contribute 20% of their time to teaching in years 2-4.

Starting date: Preferably per 1 September 2024

An assessment may be part of the procedure, consisting of psychological tests and an interview.