E17-hospital-network approved Regional Strategic Care Plan

'The development of a top quality, innovative and leading Flemish Hospital Network’, that is what drives the seven hospitals of the E17 hospital network which our hospital belongs to. our partners described how we collectively hope to realise that vision in practice in the Regional Strategic Care Plan for the future.

After presenting the plan to the Care Strategy Committee in May, we were given the green light by Hilde Crevits, the Flemish Minister of Welfare, Public Health and Family, which kicks off the implementation of their ambitious plans.

Care focus

In the Regional Strategic Care Plan, the seven partners outline how care is currently organised in the network, how they are joining forces and how patients can count on their expert care now and in the future. The plan revolves around every patient having access tobasic specialist care close to home and, when necessary, being able to call on (super) specialist care from one of the hospital partners within the network or, if appropriate, from other care actors in the care region. Therefore, each of the network partners forms a gateway to the network and provides the same, demonstrable level of care. For emergency, obstetric or paediatric care, as well as stroke care, the proximity of care is crucial.

With Minister Crevits' approval, individual hospitals can now work on submitting their own strategic care plan necessary, for example, to apply for infrastructure or construction investments. The action points formulated, such as reducing the number of beds given the evolution toward more ambulatory care and day hospitalisation or coordinating with mental health partners for a mental health action plan, are also being pursued.

E17 hospital network chair Eric Van Zele: ‘We are extremely pleased with this great news. We have worked incredibly hard with many different stakeholders to develop this Regional Strategic Care Plan, which concretely summarises what we stand for as a hospital network and where we want to go, all with a view to providing value-driven care for every patient. Together, we’re all ready for it!’