Last week we had Storm Ciara and in the weekend Storm Dennis crossed the country and apparently Storm Ellen is on her way. No real winter temperatures, but certainly winter winds. In this update a lot of news this time on acquisitions and planned sales.

• Bergman Clinics in the news. To be acquired or looking for a new investor?
• Korian is now the largest commercial provider in the Dutch elderly care market. What will Orpea do?
• Dutch maternity care sector. Crisis or opportunity?

Winter is refusing to come here to the Netherlands. Temperatures are refusing to go below 10 degrees, but it is cold and windy. I hope that you are all either enjoying a real winter or having nice weather. In this update we cover:

• Clinic specializing in breast cancer opens second location. Success after rocky start?
• Another hospital merger is stopped. Is the transformation of the hospital sector moving into a new phase?
• Healthcare insurance companies to be given more flexibility. Will this be good for innovation?

I hope that you are all up to speed again and are enjoying the winter weather. In this update we cover:

• Health insurance company refusing to support hospital in financial problems. Will another hospital be closed?
• Private equity makes new investments in healthcare sector. Who will be the next target?
• Investments in healthcare real estate pass € one billion mark.  Will growth continue?

I hope that you have all enjoyed your vacations and have had a good start to the new decade. In this update we cover:

• Commercial provider of outpatient mental healthcare services is bankrupt. How attractive is the sector?
• New report for Dutch government suggests that nursing home capacity in the Netherlands must be doubled. Who will build the new capacity?
• Trend toward multi-year contracts between insurance companies and operators is continuing. Good news for everybody?

Welcome back to another update on what is going on in the Dutch healthcare sector. In this update we cover:

• Growing waiting lists for nursing homes. Who will build and operate the required new capacity?
• Continuing bad press for Ontzorgd Wonen. Bad luck or structural problems?
• Court cases and closures. Are traditional operators becoming more business-oriented?
• In our snapshot we give an overview of Ontzorgd Wonen a large supplier of nursing homes that we have written about extensively in the past

Welcome back to another update on what is going on in the Dutch healthcare sector. In this update we cover:

• Dutch healthcare sector expected to continue strong growth
• Dokter Bosman saved. Investor and creditors have reached a deal
• In our snapshot we give an overview of a large but unknown dentistry chain (Rietrae Group).

Here in the Netherlands the Christmas decorations have now come up. It appears that this happens earlier every year. In the Dutch healthcare sector, a number of interesting things have been happening in the last few weeks. In this update we cover:

• Another acquisition in the laboratory sector highlights the possibility of acquiring non-profit foundations
• National chain of psychological care providers in financial problems. What does this say about the sector?
• In our snapshot we give an overview of DigiContact, a provider of back-up care for organizations providing long-term care

Happy Halloween for any of you who happen to celebrate it. Another example of American traditions conquering the world. In the Dutch healthcare sector a number of interesting things have been happening in the last few weeks. In this update we cover:

• German chain of eye clinics moves into the Dutch market. Will more acquisitions follow?
• Rehabilitation sector negatively in the news. Is the sector attractive for foreign investors?
• Tradition provider of elderly care starts commercial franchise organization. Is this the start of a new wave of cooperation between non-profit and for-profit players in the sector?
• In our snapshot we give an overview of Eyescan, the chain being acquired by Ober Scharrer Gruppe

It is official, it is now autumn. The days are getting shorter and wetter and the winter duvet has been placed on the bed. In this update we cover:

• Dutch long-term disabled and psychiatric care sector popular with foreign investors. Will more companies follow the lead of Orpea and Reseau Abilis?
• New laws to be introduced to limit fraud and excessive profits in the Dutch healthcare sector. What will be the effects on foreign investors?
• ADG sells staffing company focusing on the healthcare sector. Is it leaving the sector?

Here in the Netherlands the weather is still reasonable but early mornings definitely have an autumn feel. In this update we cover:

• Financials of operators in the psychiatric care sector worsen. Will the new financing structure improve overall profitability?
• Changes in the financing of palliative care from 2020. Will this make the sector attractive for commercial players?
• In our snapshot we give an overview of Tzorg, a large national provider of non-medical homecare

Here in the Netherlands it looks like we will be getting an Indian summer. I hope that you are enjoying some nice weather as well. In this update we cover:

• Analysis of elderly-care annual reports highlight decrease in capacity and investments in new locations. How will the coming surge in demand for nursing homes be met?
• Report highlights Dutch co-payment system that makes commercial nursing home care very attractive. Is it government policy to encourage the elderly to pay for accommodations and services themselves?
• In our snapshot we give an overview of MKA Groep, a provider of dental surgery services with national ambitions

After a fairly long break and a quiet summer in the Dutch healthcare sector this is an update on key news:

• Government think thank publishes positive report on commercial nursing home sector but with questions regarding specialized geriatric care. Will there be tighter rules on the level of care to be provided in commercial nursing homes?
• Annual reports highlight structural changes to Dutch hospital sector. How will the sector cope with ongoing reduction in demand?
• Actief Zorg acquires another bankrupt commercial healthcare provider

I hope that you have all been able to enjoy the summer. I will be off for a couple of weeks but will be reachable if you have any urgent questions. Here in the Netherlands there has been a lot of interesting news and publications the last few weeks:

• Korian receives a formal OK for its acquisition of Stepping Stones. Will this mark the start of further growth?
• The Blueprint Group in cash squeeze but has found a new investor. Have they grown too big too quickly?
• Bergman Clinics enters new service area and makes in an acquisition in Scandinavia. Is this the start of a further pan-European growth?
• Level of investments in healthcare real estate grows again. Can further growth be expected?

Excuses for the long delay since the last update. I have been extremely busy on a very interesting project and have unfortunately not been able to squeeze in the time to write an update until now. In this update I cover the following news and issues:

• Recent analysis highlights growing need for more nursing homes in the Netherlands, but focus is on short term measures. What will be done to ensure more overall capacity?
• Improved profitability for Dutch hospitals, but overall profitability is still very low. Can profitability be sufficiently improved to meet the expected challenges for the hospital sector or will we be seeing more bankruptcies?
• Extra money to be freed up to meet growing demand for elderly care and the higher costs for specific patient groups. Will this make the Dutch nursing home sector even more attractive?

Welcome to the newest update on private healthcare in the Netherlands. In this newsletter we cover the following news and issues:

• Payment model for psychiatric care definitely to be changed. Will this make the sector more attractive?
• Minister of Health wants to reorganize the provision of district nursing. Good news or bad news?
• ING report highlights attractiveness of Dutch elderly care sector. Is it time to enter the market?
• Financial health of large incumbent providers of psychiatric care is weaker than generally reported. What will happen in the sector going forward?