Ilonka Coenraad founded the company ‘Patient Journey Lab’ building on the premise that design thinking in healthcare will result in a sustainable digital infrastructure. Patient Journey Lab helps health organisations and health professionals to create the optimal patient experience with efficient and effective use of digital technology. Ilonka was head of online communication of the Amsterdam UMC from 2014 until 2018, where she implemented working with patient journeys as a basis of the digital communication strategy.
In her next assignment for the Dutch association of general practitioners, she helped shape the new strategy for their website on patient communication (www.thuisarts.nl). After that multiple clients followed: a digital platform assisting cancer patients in their journey (www.kanker.nl); an organisation for transmural care and a top clinical hospital. She uses different approaches, tools and visual techniques to help her clients develop effective strategies for interacting with their patients, employees, members or stakeholders.