After skipping spring, we now have wonderful summer weather here in the Netherlands. I hope that you are also enjoying nice weather.

In this update we cover:

• Hospitals report positive 2020 results. Good news, but are there dark clouds on the horizon?
• Government provides €1.3 billion extra financing for youth care. Will this be enough to make the sector more attractive?
• Government and key organizations agree to develop 160.000 new housing units for the elderly. How will this be carried out?

Here in the Netherlands, we seem to have skipped spring (even after my more positive notes in the last update). Hopefully, we will not skip summer -  The current, weather which sunny and hot, gives hope. The good news is that after a couple of very hot and dry years that resulted in extremely low water reserves, the extreme levels of rain during the last few months has resulted in water levels that are now  back to normal.

 In this update we cover:

• Authority for Consumers and Markets require more information. Will Mediq acquisition of Eurocept Homecare take place?
• Radiologists develop own expertise center. Local answer to international outsourcing of radiology services?
• In our snapshot we give  an overview of NOK a chain of obesity clinics

Here in the Netherlands spring has finally arrived. Temperatures are still low and there is a steady mix of sunshine and rain, but nature has decided that it is time, and everything is green and beautiful.

 In this update we cover:

• Another French giant enters the Dutch nursing home market. Are there further acquisition targets?
• New law will make it easier for municipalities to purchase home and youth care. Good or bad news for the sector?
• Dentist chains gaining market share. Will the trend continue?
• In our snapshot we give  an overview of OCON a company running two orthopedic clinics

This has been the coldest April in 35 years here in the Netherlands. Hopefully, May will bring spring and the opportunity to enjoy the outdoor cafes that have now been allowed to open. In this update we cover:

• Buyers of healthcare insurance more risk averse. Is this a permanent change?
• General hospital stops provision of psychiatric care. Is this another step in the ongoing portfolio rationalization in the healthcare sector?
• In our snapshot we give  an overview of DC Klinieken, a chain of specialized medical clinics

I hope that you have had a nice weekend and have enjoyed the nice weather. In this update we cover:

• Mediq reports new financing. Has the sales process been stopped?
• Dutch healthcare organizations expect positive results for 2020. What will be the situation in 2021?
• New model for financing of mental healthcare defined. What will be effect on commercial providers?

I hope that you have had a nice Easter weekend. Here in the Netherlands the weekend  has been cold and wet (even with some snow) but hopefully you have had nice weather. In this update we cover:

• High level of PE-driven transactions lately. What will be the next PE-owned company to be sold?
• Orpea makes an acquisition in the mental healthcare sector. Are further acquisitions in the pipeline?
• A hospital to be privatized. Will private hospitals be successful this time?
• Number of commercial specialized clinics expected to double in the next five years. Where will the growth come from?
• More real-estate investments required in the healthcare sector. How will this be financed?

In my previous update I said that it felt like spring. Since then, the weather has turned again, and we have had a cold spell these last few weeks. However, the days are getting longer and hopefully spring (and a vaccinated population)  is just around the corner. In this update we cover:

• Dutch elections. What are the consequences for the healthcare sector?
• Process related to Bergman Clinics finalized. What can we expect?
• Ongoing sales process for Ceban. Another private equity investment in the Dutch healthcare sector?

After a week of winter, we have now arrived in spring with temperatures almost reaching 20C in the weekend. The previous weekend everybody was ice-skating this last weekend everybody was in t-shirts on their bikes enjoying the sun. Despite the strange weather conditions there is still interesting news from the Dutch healthcare sector:

• Dutch healthcare sector facing range of staffing-related issues. What can the elderly care sector learn from hospitals?
• Yet another Dutch healthcare organized moves to innovative financing solutions. What will be the role of banks in the future?
• Another court case related to low tariffs. Will this case be successful?

Last weekend we actually had a snowstorm and this week really feels like winter (even here in the Netherlands). In this update news about two interesting companies in the e-health space and an initial view on possible cost savings in the Dutch nursing home sector:

• Major Dutch bank invests in e-health company. What are the reasons for an increased focus on the Dutch market?
• Current owner of Bergman Clinics heads up new venture to digitize general practitioners. What are their plans?
• Large benchmarking exercise in nursing home sector by Dutch government. What are initial conclusions?

January has gone fast. Last week we even had snow here in the Netherlands. It did not last long and might very well be the only snow we will see this season. In the meanwhile, there have been several new developments in the Dutch healthcare sector. In this update we cover:

• Low tariffs lead to exodus from social care domain. How can this be countered?
• Specialized clinics agree collective salary agreement with union. What are consequences for profitability?
• Consolidation in pathology / diagnostics sector. Will the trend continue?

I hope that you have all had a good transition to 2021. We all hope that 2021 will; be a better year than 2020, but the shocking happenings in Washington last week and the explosive growth bin COVID-19 infections in many countries has not been a good start. Let us hope that the ongoing vaccination programs will quickly get up to speed and allow us to move back to a “new normal”.

In the meanwhile, there have been several new developments in the Dutch healthcare sector. In this update we cover:

• Apax France to acquire Mentaal Beter. Will investors look at other Dutch mental care operators?
• Process related to Mediq is in the end phase. Who will be the new owner?
• Largest Dutch provider of disabled care with innovative financing program. Will other organizations follow?
• New report from insurance companies highlights need for large investments. Where will the financing come from?
• Bergman continues growth in Dutch market. What is happening to the sales process?

The daily number of reported COVID infections here in the Netherlands has been increasing during the last few weeks and as of today the Netherlands is in lockdown for the next five weeks. Christmas this year will be celebrated in small gatherings.

For this update we cover:

• Second corona wave leads to lower capacity utilization in Dutch nursing homes. What will be the financial consequences?
• Mediq up for sale. What is the current situation?
• Profits up in the mental healthcare sector in 2019. What will happen in 2020?

The number of COVID infections here in the Netherlands are still bouncing up and down and it does not look like we will have a fast and structured decline in time to enable less restrictions for Christmas. Bad news for those of us looking forward to the celebrations but even more reason to look forward to the vaccines.

For this update we cover:

• Specialty clinics stay open in the second COVID wave. Good news for Bergman Clinics?
• Strong growth in 2019 revenues in the disabled sector but profits are flat. What will happen in 2020?
• Changes to be made to the financing of youth care. Bad news for Mentaal Beter?
• Traditional operator loses court case for “fair tariffs”

Here in the Netherlands it appears that the measures taken a few weeks ago are starting to work. Number of COVID infections are down as are the number of people in the hospitals and in intensive care units with corona. Hopefully, the trend will continue. We should be very happy about the news from Pfizer and hopefully the corona-situation will improve in your country as well.

For this update we cover:

• Mental healthcare operator puts in place “patient stop” for patients from major healthcare insurance company. What are the effects of complicated contracting processes on the valuation of acquisition targets?
• Study suggests that additional controls on dividend payments from healthcare companies will have negative effects. Good news for investors?
• Courts disallow general reductions in tariffs for non-contracted operators What will be effects on innovation and investments?

Here in the Netherlands we are now in a “lock-down” similar to the one we had before the summer. Not as strict as in many other countries, but restaurants and cafes are closed and there are restrictions on the size of groups for events. Hospitals are starting to fill up again, so, hopefully, the restrictions will help. Even with corona dominating the headlines there is still other news regarding the Dutch healthcare sector. For this update we cover:

• Investors found for Sanquin Plasma Products. How will the governance work?
• Insurance companies suggest steps to build 25.000 nursing home beds by 2025. Good news for the sector?
• Large traditional healthcare organization to be split up. Who will be next?
• Insurance companies will continue to support healthcare sector in 2021. Who else will step up?