Innovative healthcare networks:
the experience of
France and the Netherlands

From 31 May to 4 June 2024, 10 delegates from IFHP, the International Federation of Health Plans, undertook a study trip to France and the Netherlands to discover innovative healthcare networks.

On their first day in Paris, the delegates headed for the Fondation Santé Service to meet the organisation's director, Ghislain Promonet. This key player in hospital and homecare services in the Île-de-France region cares for patients of all ages in oncology, palliative care, complex wound management, rehabilitation, perinatal care and geriatrics.

On the second day of this international training programme, delegates travelled to the Netherlands to meet at the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport in The Hague.

The afternoon was devoted to discovering Santeon, an innovative organisation comprising seven leading clinical hospitals. Santeon is a model of excellence in hospital collaboration. Their mission: to improve patient care and experience through continuous innovation.

Finally, the series of visits concluded with a meeting with two employees of Buurtzorg, an agency founded in 2007 by Jos de Blok, based on the principles of the liberated enterprise. Buurtzorg operates with independent teams of nurses working autonomously, supported by a high-performance computerised system.

This international study mission was both an enriching and instructive experience, immersing our Australian delegates in the heart of cutting-edge practices in innovative care networks. This immersion offers an exceptional opportunity to discover innovative and inspiring models that are revolutionizing healthcare.