Congratulations to Professor Natasha Appelman-Dijkstra, Professor of Internal Medicine in Bone and Mineral Disorders, on her inspiring inaugural lecture held on Friday 12 September.

In her inaugural lecture As Long as the Quality is Assured, Professor Natasha Appelman-Dijkstra reflected on the meaning of quality in healthcare, research, and education. While guidelines, protocols, and quality registries have improved outcomes and standardisation, she emphasised that true quality also requires context, reflection, and attentiveness to individual needs.

Using examples from osteoporosis and rare bone diseases, she showed how collaboration, innovation, and new diagnostic techniques can improve both care and patient outcomes. She highlighted the importance of data-driven research, international collaboration, and training the next generation of clinicians, while warning that increasing regulation may threaten investigator-initiated studies. Ultimately, she called for continuous reflection on what quality means, to ensure that in defining it, we do not lose sight of its true essence.  

Please read the full citation As Long as the Quality is Assured (Dutch)/ English translation.