AZ Groeninge, in collaboration with Proximus NXT, will be the first hospital in the Benelux with a private 5G network.

AZ Groeninge Hospital in Kortrijk and Proximus NXT propose a pilot project that will test 5G applications in a real hospital environment. By building a private 5G network on the hospital campus, both parties want to create an innovative environment that prepares the healthcare system for the challenges of the future. The federal government also supports this initiative by awarding funding as part of the project call for proposals for 5G pilot projects.

The focus is on applications related to remote care, clinical communication, and data and training. For example, 5G’s potential is being tested for robotic surgery, for monitoring patient health via biosensors, and for smart alarms for nurses and care providers. In addition, the project supports applications that support medical imaging, for example by converting X-ray images into an AR/VR environment, and promote knowledge sharing, for example by streaming operations and making them available to colleagues, future doctors and knowledge institutions.

In addition, the project includes various applications for training purposes, such as aggression training, to better prepare health workers for unforeseen situations. Using AI and machine learning on private edge cloud infrastructure, training can be incrementally refined and tailored to training needs.

In addition to Proximus NXT and AZ Groeninge, Vives Hogeschool (knowledge exchange), MediAventures (streaming operations), Televic (smart alarms) and One Bonsai (virtual training environment) are also partners in this project.

Pilot project with federal support

The 5G project was selected for subsidy by the federal government at the end of 2023 as part of a project call initiated by Minister De Sutter and the FPS Economy. This initiative was created to promote the adoption and implementation of 5G in Belgium and stimulate further digitalization for both Belgian companies and citizens. The focus is on supporting 5G testbeds by funding innovative pilot projects that contribute to breakthrough solutions in various industrial sectors.

After a first round of awards at the beginning of 2023, 8 further projects with a total funding volume of around 5 million euros were selected in November. The winning pilots were assessed on their level of maturity, innovative nature, contribution to 5G awareness, overall sustainability and service improvement, and the use of AI and edge computing.