About M.J.H. (Maud) van den Oord
My name is Maud van den Oord. I am a physiotherapist at Amphia Hospital in Breda and a PhD candidate at Erasmus MC. After obtaining my Master's degree in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Science at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in 2021, I developed an interest in promoting physical activity during hospitalization.
Hospitalized patients spend most of their day lying in bed, contributing to functional decline, delayed recovery, and increased healthcare utilization. Although the benefits of maintaining physical activity during hospital stay are well established, implementing, and sustaining movement-promoting care in daily hospital practice remains challenging.
Since May 2024, my PhD research has focused on understanding how physical activity can become an integral and sustainable component of hospital care. By combining effectiveness research with implementation science, I investigate the impact of physical activity promoting interventions, such as Active Recovery, and explore how these interventions can be successfully adopted, integrated, and sustained in routine clinical practice. Because sustainable implementation requires support at multiple levels of the healthcare system, I also investigate the perspectives of hospital board members, managers, and healthcare professionals on physical activity promotion and the role of movement during hospitalization.
My research combines implementation science, behavior change, and clinical practice, and is conducted in close collaboration with hospitals, professional organizations, and knowledge institutes, including KNGF, NVZF and the Knowledge Centre for Sport & Physical Activity. Ultimately, my goal is to contribute to hospital environments where movement becomes a natural part of care and recovery.
Hospitalized patients spend most of their day lying in bed, contributing to functional decline, delayed recovery, and increased healthcare utilization. Although the benefits of maintaining physical activity during hospital stay are well established, implementing, and sustaining movement-promoting care in daily hospital practice remains challenging.
Since May 2024, my PhD research has focused on understanding how physical activity can become an integral and sustainable component of hospital care. By combining effectiveness research with implementation science, I investigate the impact of physical activity promoting interventions, such as Active Recovery, and explore how these interventions can be successfully adopted, integrated, and sustained in routine clinical practice. Because sustainable implementation requires support at multiple levels of the healthcare system, I also investigate the perspectives of hospital board members, managers, and healthcare professionals on physical activity promotion and the role of movement during hospitalization.
My research combines implementation science, behavior change, and clinical practice, and is conducted in close collaboration with hospitals, professional organizations, and knowledge institutes, including KNGF, NVZF and the Knowledge Centre for Sport & Physical Activity. Ultimately, my goal is to contribute to hospital environments where movement becomes a natural part of care and recovery.
Stimulating physical activity during hospital stay
2013-2018 Bsc. Physical therapy, Avans Hogeschool Breda.
2018-2021 MSc Musculoskeletal physiotherapy science, VU Amsterdam
2018-2020 Physical therapist at Bravis Hospital, Roosendaal
Since 2021 Physical therapist at Amphia hospital, Breda
2018-2021 MSc Musculoskeletal physiotherapy science, VU Amsterdam
2018-2020 Physical therapist at Bravis Hospital, Roosendaal
Since 2021 Physical therapist at Amphia hospital, Breda
PhD project: Implementation of physical activity–promoting interventions during hospitalization
This PhD project comprises four interrelated studies examining the effectiveness, implementation, and organizational context of movement‑promoting interventions in hospital care.
- Systematic review (completed)
A systematic review with meta-analysis on unsupervised mono- and multifaceted interventions aimed at reducing time spent in bed during hospitalization, identifying promising components and key knowledge gaps. - National implementation study using the MRC framework (ongoing)
Guided by the Medical Research Council framework, this study examines how physical activity–promoting initiatives are implemented across Dutch hospitals, including institutional visions, strategies, and perceived barriers and facilitators. - Observational implementation study in Amphia Hospital (ongoing)
An observational study evaluates the real‑world implementation of a movement‑promoting project, focusing on feasibility, uptake, and experiences of patients and healthcare professionals. - Qualitative study at board and management level (ongoing)
A qualitative study explores how hospital leaders perceive the value, prioritization, and financial investment in movement‑promoting initiatives. - Q-methodology study among healthcare professionals (ongoing)
This study uses Q methodology to identify distinct viewpoints among healthcare professionals regarding physical activity. It explores beliefs about physical activity in personal life, physical activity at work, the importance of movement for hospitalized patients, and healthcare professionals' perceived role and responsibility in promoting patient movement during hospital admission.
