Additional information
We are pleased to invite you to the 5th National Prehabilitation congress, with the theme “Crossing Borders, Empowering Stars”. The congress will take place at the Crowne Plaza in Maastricht on 11th and 12th September 2025, offering a unique opportunity to share knowledge and experiences on prehabilitation across borders.
This two-day congress focuses on the principles and practice of prehabilitation, offering a comprehensive, hands-on guide to deliver prehabilitation programs that ensure patients are physically and mentally prepared for major surgical or non-surgical treatment according to the latest scientific evidence. Participants will gain valuable insights into the latest trends, evidence-based approaches, and implementation experiences to enhance patient outcomes.
Topics covered will include the integration of prehabilitation into different care pathways (e.g., cardiovascular, orthopaedic, oncologic), state-of-the-art preoperative screening and assessment (e.g., physical fitness, nutritional status, mental wellbeing), and best-practice interventions to optimise physical fitness and wellbeing (physical exercise training, nutritional support, and psychological support).
Accreditation
Accreditation for the 5th National Prehabilitation Congress 2025 will be requested from:
Nederlandse Vereniging voor Heelkunde (NVvH)
Nederlandse Vereniging voor Anesthesiologie (NVA)
Koninklijk Nederlands Genootschap voor Fysiotherapie (KNGF)
Inclusief: Keurmerk Fysiotherapie therapeutenregister & KwaliteitsRegister Fysiotherapie
Vereniging voor Sportgeneeskunde (VSG):
Thursday 3 points and Friday 3 points
Accreditatiebureau Verpleegkundig Specialisten Register:
Thursday 6 points and Friday 6 points
Accreditatiebureau Kwaliteitsregister V&V en Register Zorgprofessionals
– Scholing Longverpleegkundige: Thursday 6 points and Friday 6 points
– Scholing Maag Darm Lever: Thursday 6 points and Friday 6 points
– Scholing Oncologie: Thursday 6 points and Friday 6 points
– Scholing Revalidatie: Thursday 6 points and Friday 6 points
– Scholing Wondzorg: Thursday 6 points and Friday 6 points
Pro-Q-Kine, Kwaliteitsbevordering voor Kinesitherapeuten
Congress Committee 2025
Marcel den Dulk, MD PhD
Bart Bongers, MSc PhD
Lis Hoeijmakers, MSc
Maastricht University and Maastricht University Medical Center+
After finishing his surgical training in 2012, Marcel worked in Aintree University Hospital, Liverpool, UK as a clinical fellow hepato-biliary surgery to focus on advanced hepato-biliary surgery. After this fellowship he continued with a fellowship in Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+), Maastricht, the Netherlands where he is currently appointed as consultant hepato-pancreato-biliary surgeon. Marcel is board member of the scientific committee of Fit4Surgery, the Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Audit (DPCA), the Dutch Hepatobiliary Audit (DHBA) and member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Zorginstituut Nederland.
Both in the daily clinical practice and in his research the focus is on improving the postoperative outcome for the surgical patients. He is interested to optimise perioperative care and is the prinicipal investigator of a nationwide study in which preoperative optimisation before pancreatic surgery is implemented in the Netherlands, the PROMISE-P trial.
Marcel den Dulk, MD PhD
Bart is a medical physiologist (clinical exercise physiologist) at the Department of Nutrition and Movement Sciences and the Department of Surgery of Maastricht University. As an assistant professor he holds a research line in (geriatric) exercise physiology, with a focus on improving or maintaining physical fitness of patients undergoing major treatment using (cardiopulmonary) exercise testing and (home- or community-based) high-intensity interval training (exercise prehabilitation). Bart has experience with prehabilitation since 2014 and is a member of the working group ‘science’ of the Fit4Surgery foundation.
Bart Bongers, MSc PhD
Lis Hoeijmakers is a dedicated researcher with a background in movement sciences. After graduating, she gained experience in both clinical and applied research in the fields of orthopedics and HPB surgery. Since 2023, she has been working as a PhD candidate at Maastricht University, where she is involved in several projects, including the PROMISE-P study on prehabilitation in pancreatic surgery.
Lis Hoeijmakers, MSc
Chairperson of the day
Casper van Koppenhagen (55) is a rehabilitation physician and non-practicing sports physician. Casper’s journey through the medical landscape has taken him to many places as a sports physician for the KNVB (Royal Dutch Football Association) and Vitesse, as a rehabilitation physician in Nottwil, Switzerland, the De Hoogstraat spinal cord injury department, the UMC Utrecht, on the Board of Directors at Basalt and at the Erasmus MC. He has always combined his work with local and national board memberships or with outdoor activities such as the Handbike Battle, the editorship in chief of the Dutch Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine or education and patient care in Indonesia with the Van Creveld Clinic. By the Association of Rehabilitation Physicians, he was chosen as the most promising AIOS in Rehabilitation Medicine in 2009, “Lecturer of the Year” in 2016 and received the “van Hoytema Trophy” in 2024 for his services to rehabilitation medicine, both spoken and written. Casper writes blogs and makes podcasts under KopCast and, among others, for the VvAA and Medisch Contact about happiness, diversity & inclusion, patient stories, sports, and art. He has published two books, “Bram Breedveld – Striker of the Dutch National Team” and “I Had You Thought My Child.” For several years now, Casper has regularly served as a workshop facilitator, a professional trainer for BFC Mindfull & Compassion, and as a chairperson for (scientific) conferences.
Casper considers himself a “beyond believer” in prehabilitation and embraces the goals of organizing this exciting conference.
