Rik Wehrens

Rik Wehrens is an Assistant Professor at Erasmus MC in the Department of Dermatology and Associate Professor in the Health Care Governance (HCG) group at the Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management. His work bridges health policy, qualitative research, and science and technology studies (STS), focusing on collaborative structures in public health and healthcare innovation.

• Assistant Professor, Erasmus MC – Dermatology
• Associate Professor, Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management – Health Care Governance

Education:

• Bachelor of Arts and Culture, University of Maastricht
• Research Master in Cultures of Arts, Science and Technology (CAST), Maastricht University
• PhD, defended March 1, 2013, on Academic Collaborative Centers for Public Health

Rik Wehrens’ research focuses on the coordination between researchers, policymakers, and healthcare professionals in collaborative settings. He employs theoretical frameworks such as boundary organizations, Mode 2 science, communities of practice, and Goffman’s front-stage/back-stage dynamics. His work contributes to understanding how evidence is translated into practice and how values are negotiated in healthcare governance. He has a strong emphasis on qualitative methodologies and interdisciplinary approaches.

His recent publications explore themes such as value complexity in healthcare, legitimacy in health technology, scaling eHealth innovations, patient waiting experiences in breast cancer care, and methodological reflections on qualitative research. These works demonstrate a consistent focus on the social, ethical, and organizational dimensions of healthcare, particularly in the Dutch context.

Scientific Contributions:

• Extensive research on Academic Collaborative Centers for Public Health (ACCs)
• Development and application of the Imitation Game method to understand patient experiences
• Analysis of policy experiments and value conflicts in healthcare
• Contributions to knowledge translation and epistemic practices in health

Rik Wehrens has supervised several academic projects and contributed to key datasets on policy experiments and elderly care perspectives. His work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and well-being, emphasizing equity, innovation, and governance in healthcare systems.