Partnerships

Partnerships

Thanks to our expertise in cutting-edge medical technology, Maria Middelares General Hospital has developed into a hospital with many partnerships across national borders. We work intensively with, amongst others, hospitals, GPs, residential care centres, the KU Leuven Flemish Hospital Network, as well as with colleges and universities.

Hospitals

Hospitals

Maria Middelares General Hospital’s perspectives range far afield. That's why there are a lot of partnerships.

Staffing cooperation with St Vincent General Hospital in Deinze

At the end of February 2017, the management boards of our hospital and of St Vincent Hospital in Deinze decided to advance our cooperation by means of a ‘staffing pool’. In concrete terms, this means that since 28 June 2017 both hospitals are being managed by a single management board comprising the same members.

Inter-hospital associations

The cooperation between our hospitals was augmented by means of a number of inter-hospital clinical cooperatives (for cardiology, pneumology, urology, gastrointestinal diseases etc.). This means that the medical practitioners in these specialist areas work at both sites and also share standby duty. Of course, they also help each other through the exchange of information and expertise in scientific consultations.

Preparation of a common digital medical record

Since 2018, St Vincent General Hospital in Deinze has also been using the Synops digital medical record system developed by the Maria Middelares General Hospital.

Evolution toward becoming a non-profit organisation

The hospitals have signed a protocol agreement with the explicit intention to form a single non-profit association that administers two general hospitals as from 1 January 2024. Each hospital will maintain its designation as a general hospital.

An important step toward our shared future was the inauguration on 1 January 2023 of a single steering committee responsible for the various care sites (Aalter, Deinze, Ghent and Ghent-Brugges).


Member of the E17 Hospital Network

E17 Hospital Network strives to build a prestigious, high-quality and innovative Flemish hospital network in the interests of people and society, all in cooperation with other care providers, industry and government. By providing value-driven care, the hospital network would like to respond to the very real and quickly-changing care needs of their patients.

The E17 Hospital Network consists of seven hospital partners:

  • Glorieux General Hospital in Ronse
  • Groeninge General Hospital in Kortrijk
  • Maria Middelares General Hospital in Ghent
  • St Elisabeth General Hospital in Zottegem
  • O.L.V. van Lourdes Hospital Waregem
  • St Joseph Clinic kn Izegem
  • St Vincent General Hospital in Deinze

The hospitals of the E17 Hospital Network have a long tradition of close cooperation, which is based on a shared vision of health care and build on solid values such as respect for and solidarity with each other. After many years of sharing in this positive experience, the hospital network was formalised in 2015 in the network agreement E17. On 17 May 2019, the seven partners finalised their cooperation as the 'E17 Hospital Network non-profit association'. The Flemish government decided in May 2020 to recognise the E17 Hospital Network as an inter-regional clinical hospital network.

Eric Van Zele is the chair of the E17 Hospital Network. More information about the governing bodies of the network can be found here.

Would you like to know more?

KU Leuven Flemish Hospital Network

The KU Leuven Flemish Hospital Network (Vznkul) is a partnership of 30 Flemish hospitals. The partnership’s aim is to strive for higher quality and efficiency in patient care, training, clinical research and management through cooperation.

We are steadily advancing our quality care through active participation in working groups that are organised under the auspices of Vznkul.

Cooperation with other hospitals

Maria Middelares General Hospital also cooperates with various other hospitals for specific examinations or treatments, such as Ghent University Hospital, Jan-Palfijn General Hospital, St Lucas General Hospital, ZorgSaam Hospital De Honte, OLV Hospital in Aalst, Leuven University Hospital, Antwerp University Hospital, Damiaan General Hospital, Alma General Hospital, Delta General Hospital, St Augustinus, GZA Hospital, St Augustinus campus and St Camillus Psychiatric Hospital (KARUS).

Cooperation with other health care facilities

In addition, Maria Middelares General Hospital also has cooperation agreements with:

  • PZ De Pilgrim;
  • Dienst Geestelijke Gezondheidszorg D.G.G.E. (Department of Mental Health D.G.G.E.) – Keizersvest – Ghent;
  • Provinciaal Zorgcentrum (Provincial Care Centre) – Lemberge;
  • Ghent Palliative Care Network – Eeklo.

General practitioners

General practitioners

For Maria Middelares General Hospital, GPs are pivotal figures in patient care. Constructive cooperation is therefore a decisive factor for good care. In addition to daily contacts, there are also a number of consultation platforms to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and experience.

More information for general practitioners

Residential care centres

Residential care centres

Maria Middelares General Hospital has concluded agreements with a number of residential care centres (e.g. De Lichtervelde residential care centre in Eke, Scheldevelde De Pinte residential care centre, Zonnehove Sint-Denijs-Westrem residential care centre) as preferred partner. A meeting with these organisations is organised twice a year. Additionally, they can also avail themselves of the hospital’s geriatric expertise or request training courses as required. For their part, these residential care centres always work together with the Maria Middelares General Hospital Clinical Laboratory.

More information about primary care and the residential sector

Colleges and universities

Colleges and universities

Our hospital is firmly committed to cooperation with Flemish schools, colleges and universities. Many students gain practical experience for a number of weeks or months by means of an internship with us. Most of them do this while training for a health care sector profession, but internships are also available to others. Before starting an internship, students attend a welcome reception.