When COVID-19 struck, healthcare consultant Anouk Scholte knew what she had to do.

Having originally trained as a doctor, it was time to reach for her stethoscope and go to a hospital in the west of the Netherlands to help fight the virus on the frontline.

And now? She’s using her knowledge with clients to help bridge the gap between clinicians and healthcare organisations.

Having trained as a doctor, after eighteen months on the ward Anouk Scholte decided to broaden her horizons and explore other ways she could help improve healthcare. In 2016, she joined Deloitte as a consultant and hasn’t looked back. While she’s typically based in the Business Process Transformation team in our Consulting practice in the Netherlands, the events of early 2020 saw her donning a white coat once more.

A decision to make

“Back in 2015, I graduated from medical school and then worked as a medical doctor at the orthopaedic department of a hospital in Arnhem in the Netherlands. Although I enjoyed the work, I wanted to experience healthcare beyond a hospital, so I decided to pursue a career in consulting.

“Because of my medical background, I understand healthcare and both national and international healthcare systems, and this has been very valuable when it comes to advising clients in the public and private sector,” explained Anouk Scholte, senior consultant, Deloitte Netherlands.

When the impact of COVID-19 became clear, Anouk had a decision to make.

“For the first time since I joined Deloitte, it didn’t feel right not to be on the frontline. So, when I was asked to temporarily support a hospital as a doctor again, I didn’t hesitate. I was really happy Deloitte thought the same way and supported this sidestep.

“The time spent back on the ward was really interesting, challenging and fulfilling. I liked working as a doctor again: I was happy my routines and clinical skills were still there. I was grateful to be on the frontline during such a critical time, and the hard work and camaraderie among healthcare workers during a time of need was really inspiring.

“Of course, at times it was very tough, especially at the beginning when we didn’t know everything we know now about the disease. Being able to contribute was incredibly satisfying, and I learned so much about medical care during a major crisis.”

I was grateful to be on the frontline during such a critical time, and the hard work and camaraderie among healthcare workers during a time of need was really inspiring.
Anouk Scholte

Senior consultant, Deloitte Netherlands

Lots of similarities

The experience reminded Anouk of the reason she had started working at Deloitte.

“There are lots of similarities between good patient care and good client relationships, starting with the need to understand the “real” question. If you don’t know what’s really at stake and the important values of the patient or organisation, the solution you propose won’t be the right one. It’s the same with managing expectations: everything comes down to good communications, wherever you’re working.

“Looking back, the last year has been an interesting and challenging time, but I was happy to be able to help. My experience working on the ward adds value to clients within the healthcare sector as I can help bridge the gap between clinicians and healthcare organisations. It’s good to be back with my colleagues at Deloitte, solving challenging client issues at an organisational level again.”