Support to the reform of integrated primary care in Flanders

The Commission supported the Flanders Ministry of Wellbeing, Public Health and Family on its aim at tackling inefficiencies brought by the current fragmented model of delivery and funding of primary health care (PHC).

Context

In February 2017, the Flanders Region adopted a strategy for reforming primary health care (PHC) in Flanders by 2025. This reform aims at tackling inefficiencies brought by the current fragmented model of delivery and funding of PHC. The new model is based on the establishment of multi-disciplinary partnerships at the local level to provide patient-centred integrated care that covers both health and social care. These partnerships shall be based on local socio-economic characteristics and demographic needs assessment (bottom-up approach).

Support delivered

The Commission provided technical support with the purpose to collect and present key elements of similar primary health care reforms in the EU, make officials from the MoH in Flanders familiar with the main features of the integrated primary care system in Catalonia, and set up a workshop with EU experts on integrated primary care to share and discuss their experiences with representatives from the MoH in Flanders. Moreover, the Commission has invited the Academic Medical Centre of the University of Amsterdam to submit a proposal for a grant in order to assist Belgium with such work.

Result achieved

The Commission support led to an effective reform of integrated primary care is implemented in Flanders.

Furthermore, over the longer-term, the support will contribute towards a more sustainable, safe, patient-centred system for the delivery of high-quality integrated primary care in Flanders.