The Dutch Healthcare Authority (NZa), commissioned by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS), is investigating the sustainability of the healthcare sector. The goal is to gain insight into the bottlenecks experienced by healthcare providers, the underlying causes, and possible solutions. If the healthcare sector becomes more sustainable, the effects of climate change can be mitigated. This contributes to public health. We expect to deliver the report in the second half of 2026.
Information needed from healthcare providers and industry organizations
The research focuses on hospital care, mental health institutions, pharmacy care, and institutions providing inpatient care in the fields of disability care and elderly care. The NZa approaches healthcare providers and industry parties for the research, with specific attention to real estate, hospital pharmacies, and medical products such as medicines and incontinence materials.
External sounding board group
The NZa works in collaboration with Actiz, Brancheorganisaties Zorg, Royal Dutch Society for the Promotion of Pharmacy, UMCNL, Dutch mental health care, Dutch Association of Hospitals, Association of Disability Care Netherlands, and Health Insurers Netherlands to create future-proof healthcare. Participants from these organizations provide advice on the progress of this research via an external sounding board group. Additionally, the NZa contacts a group of experts to gain a better understanding of what sustainability in healthcare precisely entails.
Accelerating healthcare sector sustainability
The Ministry of VWS aims to accelerate sustainability in (public) healthcare and welfare. The ministry receives signals from healthcare providers who experience bottlenecks in their sustainability tasks that may be caused by funding and/or contracting. Where necessary and possible, the NZa advises the ministry on solutions that are feasible within funding and/or contracting.