Mar19

Update 19 March 2024

Update 19 March 2024

Welcome back to another update on the Dutch healthcare sector. Spring is in the air, and there is news to report from the Dutch healthcare sector. This update covers the following news items:

  • General practitioners worried about the growth of commercial nursing homes. What are they worried about and what are the potential consequences?
  • Healthcare regulators want more control over commercial primary care chains. What are the key reasons?
  • More than 20% of Dutch healthcare providers expect to report losses for 2023. What does the future look like?
Mar06

Update 6 March 2024

Update 6 March 2024

I hope that you are doing well. Here in the Netherlands it has been the wettest February since 1995, so there is enough water in the canals. The good news is that spring is in the air, and even the die-hards have given up the hope of an elfstedentocht. Except for the weather, there is also news to report from the Dutch healthcare sector. This update covers the following news items:

  • A report from ABN Amro on the dental care sector. What are the key trends?
  • Providers of closed juvenile healthcare in financial problems. Will shutting down the current system solve key problems?
  • Dutch hospital will receive €200 million lump-sum payments each of the following five years from insurance companies. How will the money be used?
Feb20

Update 20 February 2024

Update 20 February 2024

It has been quiet in the Dutch healthcare sector the last few weeks, so this update has a focus on changes in the financing of some key services:

  • New payment structures for geriatric rehab and short-term stay for the elderly. Will they make these services more attractive for operators
  • Disabled care sector wins court case against healthcare insurance companies. Will this help the sector?
Feb06

Update 6 February 2024

Update 6 February 2024

February has had a strange start as it sometimes feels like spring is in the air. However, colder weather is expected later in the month, and, as always, the Dutch are dreaming about another “elf steden tocht”. This is a 200 km ice skating event in Friesland that requires an extended period of fairly intense freezing weather to get ice that is sufficiently thick to carry the load of participants and viewers. The last one was held in 1997, but even with global warming the Dutch are hopeful every winter.

From the Dutch healthcare sector there is news about:

  • Regional hospitals have their own brand to compete against commercial clinics. Are they succeeding?
  • The Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) wants more power. What will be the consequences for “buy and build” strategies?
  • Study looking at effects of private equity on the healthcare sector. Will private equity investments be forbidden?
Jan23

Update 23 January 2024

Update 23 January 2024

I hope that you have had a good start to the new year. Welcome back to a (delayed) update on key activities, plans and transactions in the Dutch healthcare sector. In this update we cover:

  • New combination to develop one hundred clustered senior living locations. Will they succeed?
  • Follow-up on surprising election results. What will be the likely consequences for the Dutch healthcare sector?
  • Unclear financing of key aspects of Dutch elderly care. Who will pay?
  • In a new snapshot we give an overview of Centrum Oosterwal, a small chain of specialist clinics.
Dec05

Update 5 December 2023

Update 5 December 2023

Today is 5 December. This is the Dutch version of Christmas with an exchange of gifts. Typically, each person gets one gift, and the gift has to be accompanied by a poem explaining why the person is getting the gift. Even though everybody has been busy buying gifts and writing poems, there is still news to report from the Dutch healthcare sector. In this update we cover:

  • Surprising election results. Good news for the healthcare sector?
  • Healthcare insurance companies are a key component of the Dutch healthcare system. Will there be consolidation in the sector?
  • Hospital profitability improved. Will the trend continue?
  • Two acquisitions by Co-Med blocked. What is happening in the primary sector?
Nov21

Update 21 November 2023

Update 21 November 2023

Tomorrow the elections for the Dutch parliament are being held. Exciting times as big changes are likely with two new political parties expected to do very well. In addition to politics, there is also other news from the Dutch healthcare sector:

  • Clarian / Korian in process of restructuring balance sheet. Will it sell its Dutch activities?
  • Dutch Competition Authority wants to expand remit to smaller acquisitions in the healthcare sector. What are possible consequences?
  • DORC for sale. Will other Dutch healthcare companies follow?
Nov07

Update 7 November 2023

Update 7 November 2023

Here in the Netherlands the elections are getting closer, and television is filled with debates between the political parties and politicians presenting their viewpoints on talk shows. As we will touch on below, there are also potential effects on the Dutch healthcare sector of the various promises being made by the political parties. In addition, there is also other news from the Dutch healthcare sector:

  • Orpea is working on public image. Will charm offensive work?
  • Operators in the mental healthcare sector are facing financial challenges. Will their situation improve?
  • Election-related promises to increase healthcare costs. When will politicians dare to present the bad news?
  • In a new snapshot we give an overview of Keizer Kliniek, a mid-sized chain of specialist clinics.
Oct24

Update 24 October 2023

Update 24 October 2023

As I am writing this, the Indian Summer we have had for the last few weeks is definitely over. It is not yet cold, but there is non-stop rain. This is the true Dutch autumn. In this update we cover the following news from the Dutch healthcare sector:

  • New international entrant in the Dutch dentistry sector. Will they be successful?
  • Different agreements to reduce the use of temporary staff in the healthcare sector. Will they have an effect?
  • Moving activities out of the hospital leads to less investments. Is this the model for the future of Dutch hospitals?
  • In a new snapshot we give an overview of Arts en Zorg, a successful provider of commercial primary care services.
Oct10

Update 10 October 2023

Update 10 October 2023

For those of you interested in the weather in the Netherlands I can report that even though it is October we are still enjoying an Indian Summer with mostly dry and warm days. In this update we cover the following news from the Dutch healthcare sector:

  • Upcoming election in the Netherlands. What are the likely consequences for the healthcare sector?
  • Digital healthcare. How to interpret mixed signals?
  • Bergman Clinics and relationship with healthcare insurance companies. An update
  • In a new snapshot we give an overview of Microsure, a start-up developing robots for microsurgery.
Sep26

Update 26 September 2023

Update 26 September 2023

September is the month when everybody is back at school or back to work, and is the time when meetings that were not possible to plan before the summer can take place, and when there is energy to start up new projects. This also means that there is plenty of news to report, and in this update we cover the following news from the Dutch healthcare sector:

  • Bergman Clinics refuses patients from two healthcare insurance companies. Is this the same situation as last year?
  • Orpea sells real estate in the Netherlands. What is the story?
  • Elderly care providers are being helped financially. Will there be further action?
  • Buurtzorg makes a loss in 2022. What are the key reasons?

I was also last week honored to be interviewed by Het Financiele Dagblad (the leading Dutch financial newspaper) about cost management in the healthcare sector. If you are interested and can read Dutch you can find the article here.

Sep12

Update 12 September 2023

Update 12 September 2023

I assume that everybody is now back from their (well deserved) summer holidays. We spent two weeks in Poland and had a great time. It is a beautiful country with some wonderful cities (Gdansk, Krakow, etc.) and a fascinating history. Travelling by train through Europe was very comfortable and I definitely see us doing something similar again.

It is a long time since the last update and even though many people have been on vacation, these is still news to report from the Dutch healthcare sector:

  • Dutch healthcare sector facing fundamental financial challenges. Will the Government respond?
  • Minister to start enquiry into role of private equity in the healthcare sector. What are possible consequences?
  • Unilabs allowed to acquire Dutch laboratory company. Will consolidation in the diagnostics sector continue?
  • Ceban and Brocacef trade activities. What is the reason for the deal?
  • In a new snapshot we give an overview of Sirius Medical, a start-up focusing on cancer care
Aug08

Update 8 August 2023

Update 8 August 2023

This will be the last update before our summer vacation. First stop will be Copenhagen for the wedding of a friend, and then we go on Poland. Our chosen travel modus takes me back in time. Last time was many, many years ago, but we will be going on Interrail and will be seeing Eastern Europe by train. The last few weeks have been very wet here in the Netherlands, so I hope that the weather improves.

Even though it is summer, there is still news to report from the Dutch healthcare sector. In this update we cover:

  • Further reductions in the rights of patients and clients in the Netherlands. What effects can be expected for innovative new providers?
  • Buurtzorg to enter commercial market for General Practitioners. Will they be more successful than key competitors?
  • Elderly care operators expect to become structurally loss-making. Will the government step in?
  • Finally some good news –absence from work due to illness in the healthcare sector declining. Will it continue?
Jul25

Update 25 July 2023

Update 25 July 2023

Some of you are probably already on vacation, but some of us have to continue working in the nice summer weather. I hope you are enjoying your holidays and that those of us who have to wait can look forward to the coming vacations. Even though it is summer, there is still news to report from the Dutch healthcare sector. In this update we cover:

  • 2022 a better financial year for hospitals than expected. What were the reasons?
  • The right of elderly care clients for intramural care to be reduced. How does this fit in overall process of redefining Dutch elderly care?
  • M&A in the healthcare IT sector. Will there be further consolidation in the sector?
  • In a new snapshot we give an overview of Calculus, a healthcare IT company currently in the news
Jul11

Update 11 July 2023

Update 11 July 2023

Some of you are probably already on vacation, but some of us have to continue working in the nice summer weather. I hope you are enjoying your holidays and that those of us who have to wait can look forward to the coming vacations. Even though it is summer, there is still news to report from the Dutch healthcare sector. In this update we cover:

  • Mixed news concerning the development of new senior living / nursing home capacity. Will the ambitious targets be met?
  • Dutch Competition Authority (ACM) will not hinder increased cooperation in the healthcare sector. Good news for the roll-out of IZA and WOZO?
  • Government report recommend that self-pay by elderly care clients is increased. Is this good news for commercial operators?
  • In a new snapshot we give an overview of Cooperative Boer en Zorg, an interesting concept for healthcare provision by farmers
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