Intensive collaboration facilitates path to integrated E17 hospital network

Collectively, the seven hospitals of the E17 hospital network aim to build a leading, top quality and innovative Flemish hospital network. The partners described how they want to realise this in practice in their regional care strategic plan for the future. On 3 May, the hospitals put this plan to the Care Strategy Committee. Members commented that the plan is well developed and welcomed the fact that the care strategy vision is based on a measurable quality of care that is monitored.

This plan revolves around every patient having access to basic specialist care close to home, and when necessary, being able to call on (super) specialist care at one of the care partners from their own hospital within the network or, if appropriate, with other care actors in the defined care region. Therefore, each of the network partners forms a gateway to the network and provides the same level of care. By delivering value-driven care, the hospital network aims to meet the current and future care needs of its patients.

Partnerships convey their vision

To sustain this vision in the changing and challenging health-care landscape, various partners within the network are strengthening their mutually pervasive and often long-standing cooperation. In doing so, they are also responding to the government's demand for greater cooperation to meet the challenges of the future with the necessary carrying capacity. Thus, St Elisabeth Hospital in Zottegem and Glorieux General Hospital in Ronse are joining forces within the recently established umbrella non-profit organisation ZORG. Maria Middelares General Hospital in Ghent and St Vincent General Hospital in Deinze will continue their journey together from 1 January 2024 as a unified non-profit organisation that will manage both hospitals. Groeninge General Hospital in Kortrijk and the St Joseph’s Clinic in Izegem also intend to evolve into a single non-profit organisation with two recognised hospitals. Finally, the O.L.V. van Lourdes Hospital in Waregem remains committed to a very close and thorough collaboration in the medical and care support field with Groeninge General Hospital on the one hand and Maria Middelares General Hospital on the other.

In addition to these internal collaborations, the seven E17 hospitals remain united in their efforts to further expand the E17 hospital network. Significant attention is paid to various projects, such as the common dashboard with quality indicators, the HOST project, the common lab for prenatal diagnostics (NIPT) and joint procurement. You can discover all about these projects on the E17 hospital network’s website.