zorgafspraken

Zorgafspraken are formal agreements that determine how care is delivered, organized, and financed for a defined patient group or care pathway. They are typically made between care providers, such as hospitals, general practitioners, home-care organizations, and mental health services, and payers like health insurers or municipalities. The aim is to align expectations, clarify responsibilities, and ensure consistent, high-quality care across settings.

A zorgafspraak specifies the scope of care, the roles of different professionals, referral and handover procedures, data sharing and reporting, and the criteria for access or inclusion. It may also set price or volume arrangements, budget responsibility, and performance indicators to monitor outcomes, waiting times, and patient experience. The agreements often cover specific pathways, such as chronic disease management, rehabilitation, youth care, or care for people with disabilities, and can address coordination across primary, secondary, and social care.

Development is usually collaborative, involving healthcare providers, insurers or municipalities, patient representatives, and professional bodies. The agreements are reviewed and updated periodically to reflect new guidelines, patient needs, and financial realities. Compliance is monitored through audits and shared indicators, and adjustments are made to improve efficiency and quality.

Impact is intended to reduce unwarranted variation, improve continuity of care, and create transparency about responsibilities and costs. Critics caution that the process can create administrative burden and inflexibility if not continually evaluated or aligned with patient-centered goals.