Lode has been privileged to work on this mission throughout his career, thanks to so many people: teachers, friends, mentors, family and others. They have enriched and brought to life his training and experience in multiple roles, including from son to father, from physician to patient, from trainee to executive, from mentee to mentor.
After over 30 years of full-time employment in several inspiring companies, Lode is now continuing his mission as an independent consultant and advisor. He works with individuals (patients, coachees, executives) as well as organisations (for-profit and not-for profit) to achieve this. Lode has also been a proud board member of PFMD since its foundation, and now continues in this role as Independent Director. He graduated from INSEAD's International Directors Program in 2021.
Lode believes that our healthcare ecosystem needs fundamental change to add more quality to our life, not just more quantity. Medicine needs to move from disease charity to health empowerment. He believes that the key lies in a person-centric approach and in personal accountability: it is about me, it is about you, it is not about the average. We are living in a unique time when this change is finally becoming a true possibility. Today my data can be captured, understood and used for better outcomes for me, outcomes that matter to me and my aspirations. It all starts by truly listening to understand the individual experience. And it ends with each of us taking accountability to act for our own health and well-being, for our own decisions and actions.
When Lode studied and practiced medicine in Belgium and South Africa, he quickly realised that good education about health and disease was at least as important as good medicines to help patients achieve the best outcomes. To have a broader impact he then joined the pharmaceutical industry in 1989, and worked to provide good education around certain diseases and new treatment options.
Ten years later, when the internet opened new possibilities to provide quality medical information, he took a one-year sabbatical leave to co-found PlanetMedica, the first Healthcare internet portal in Europe.
He then returned to the pharmaceutical industry, and accumulated about 25 years of Medical Affairs experience, including in senior global roles.
About a decade ago, at UCB, Belgium, Lode took up the role of Chief Patient Affairs Officer , an executive role he piloted in the industry. UCB became and remains an industry leader in patient-centricity. More recently he piloted the same role at Servier, helping this organisation to also start on its journey toward Patient Centricity.
In December 2016 he joined Doctors Of The World as medical coordinator and consulting physician for the Winter Plan. He also cofounded Corvalus, a coaching and consultancy company around core values.
Lode considers the internet, social media and true stakeholder partnering central to improving education and awareness on health and disease. He also advocates that a true understanding of the patient experience is the foundational key to improve health care for all.
Your questions and needs are unique. At the same time, they may not be clear, even to you. We first help you to really understand what the challenge is. You are not only part of the solution; in fact you are the solution. We help to give you the insight and tools that allow you to successfully overcome your challenges.
Our focus areas are Personal Growth, Patient Affairs/Engagement and Medical Affairs.