Treatment and Quality of Life of Patients with Varicose Veins

Varicose veins are common and have a substantial impact on patients’ quality of life. Multiple good treatment options are currently available. In this thesis we describe the indications, procedures, safety, efficacy and recurrence profiles of the most frequently performed treatments for varicose veins. Health related quality of life questionnaires are important instruments to measure impact of disease on patients and can be used to evaluate treatment effects. We translate and validate two questionnaires for Dutch patients with varicose veins. In our randomized controlled trail we compare effect and patient reported outcomes of endovenous laser ablation, ultrasound guided foam sclerotherapy and conventional surgery. We also study the effect of single phlebectomy on the reflux of the great saphenous veins and we try to identify objective criteria for choosing the best treatment strategy for each individual patient

The Challenges of Collaborative Knowledge Creation in Open Innovation Teams

In open innovation teams, people from different organizations work together to develop new products, services, or markets. This organizational diversity can positively influence collaborative knowledge creation but can frustrate and obstruct the process as well. To increase the success rates of open innovation, it is vital to learn how individuals create knowledge in open innovation teams and the problems they face. However, HRD research on this topic is still lacking. This article reviews the literature in HRD, organizational, and learning sciences, describing how individuals interact when creating knowledge collaboratively, and gives an overview of the challenges with collaborative knowledge creation in open innovation teams. The article ends with a discussion and conclusion, and implications for further research