zorgtransformatie

Zorgtransformatie is a Dutch term used to describe the deliberate process of reforming how health and social care are organized, financed and governed in the Netherlands. The aim is to create a more accessible, higher quality and financially sustainable system by shifting from hospital-centric care to integrated, community-based and preventive care.

The transformation typically involves reorganizing care delivery across sectors, improving coordination between general practitioners, hospitals, municipalities and care providers; expanding home-based and community care; developing integrated care models and multidisciplinary teams; implementing shared information systems and data use; introducing outcome- or value-based funding arrangements; and strengthening patient-centered approaches that emphasize self-management and respect for patient preferences.

Drivers include demographic change such as an aging population, rising prevalence of chronic diseases, escalating healthcare costs, workforce shortages, and increasing social care needs. Digital technologies, telecare, electronic health records and data analytics are common enablers that support better coordination and measurement of outcomes.

Governance and implementation are often organized at regional or local levels, with care networks or zorgregio’s bringing together stakeholders to plan and execute reforms. National policies provide a framework and funding to support these efforts, and programs are typically evaluated on access, quality, patient experience, and cost.

Common challenges include aligning incentives across actors, ensuring data privacy and interoperability, managing funding transitions, and sustaining change over time. The intended impact of zorgtransformatie is to reduce unnecessary hospitalizations, enable aging in place, improve care coordination and patient outcomes, and contain overall costs.

See also: Dutch healthcare system; Integrated care; Long-term care reform.