Children’s heart centers in Rotterdam and Groningen remain open, while those in Utrecht and Leiden have to close. Health Minister Kuipers announced this.
The decision is based on years of debate. The idea behind the concentration is to maintain the quality of specialized care. Doctors will not be able to perform enough surgeries to maintain their expertise, as there will not be enough patients for four centers in the future.
Kuipers’ predecessor, De Jonge, took a different decision more than a year ago, closing Groningen and Leiden, keeping Utrecht and Rotterdam open, but the Dutch Health Authority (NZa) protested.
Minister Kuipers explains why he chose Rotterdam and Groningen:
The regulator described taking “irreversible steps” as “undesirable”. According to the NZa, the closure of specialized cardiac care centers in Leiden and Groningen will undermine accessibility to care, both in Leiden and regionally in Overijssel, Drenthe, Friesland and Groningen.
Because of this New Zealand recommendation, Minister Kuipers backed out from de Jonge’s decision. A month ago, it gave the roof organization of university hospitals the opportunity to decide for themselves which centers would close their doors, but last week it became clear that the hospitals did not reach an agreement.
Regional distribution
In his letter to the House of Representatives, the Minister writes that by choosing Rotterdam and Groningen, he is not making a judgment about the quality of care in Leiden and Utrecht.
According to him, maintenance is good everywhere at the moment. Therefore, it chose the largest center (Rotterdam) and Groningen due to its regional prevalence and accessibility. This partially satisfies NZa’s concerns.
Kuipers reaffirms that the rapprochement of Leiden and Utrecht does not mean that cardiac care for children will disappear there altogether. Check-ups, outpatient appointments and follow-up care may continue.
transition phase
Children’s heart centers have until February 27 to react to the minister’s intended decision. Once the final decision is made, a transitional period begins to properly adjust the focus of care. Kuipers thinks this transition period will last about 2.5 years.
For nearly 30 years, there has been talk of intensification of highly specialized treatment of complex congenital heart defects in children. Both politicians and relevant administrative authorities agree that concentration can offer the best private treatment. Dozens of reports come to the same conclusion.
Source: NOS
Emma Fitzgerald is an accomplished political journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in political science and international relations, she has a deep understanding of the political landscape and the forces that shape it.
