The NVZ Dutch Hospitals Association is the organisation of the Dutch hospital sector. This sector comprises a number of organisations offering a coherent package of specialist medical care.
Objectives, duties and members
NVZ primarily focuses on the collective representation of its members’ care-related, social and economic needs. These members include general hospitals, as well as non-affiliated institutions in the Netherlands, such as asthma centres, audiological centres, cancer centres, radio-therapeutic institutes, convalescence centres and dialysis centres. They number around 145 in all.
It is NVZ’s objective to create frameworks for its members that allow hospitals to respond flexibly to changes in the demand for care. A considerable part of the association’s activities therefore focuses on helping create conditions that are compatible with the sector. NVZ achieves this objective by means of policy development, and by lobbying and consulting with relevant parties in the field. The association also supports individual members by providing information regarding general and specific topics concerning the hospital sector. Members also have the opportunity to individually submit issues to NVZ for advice, and a General Meeting of Members is held at least twice a year. NVZ also organises discussion meetings for its members.
Management structure and administrative structure
The association has a management structure and administrative structure that is in line with NVZ’s duties. The management is supported in its activities by a number of advisory committees, including two permanent committees dedicated, respectively, to employment terms and to management and funding. The administrative bureau is headed by a director, who also serves as chair of the management team. NVZ administrative bureau comprises three policy departments: Healthcare, Quality & Labour and Communication. The bureau also includes the service units Administrative and Management Affairs, Communications, Human Resources, Finance, and General Services. NVZ employs a staff of roughly 65 people.
NVZ membership
NVZ invites membership from organisations offering a coherent package of specialist medical care. Such care is defined as curative treatment and other types of specialist medical care for the chronically and terminally ill. By a coherent package we mean that, within an organisational context, the member is able to offer the full range of diagnostics, treatment, nursing and care.
Representation
NVZ is represented by a number of consultative and advisory bodies. NVZ managers and employees sit on the Board for Healthcare Rates (NZa) and the Board for Health Insurance (College voor Zorgverzekeringen, or CvZ.) These are decision-making bodies with respect to regulations regarding the hospital sector. The NVZ representatives try to ensure that these laws and regulations remain manageable for the hospitals.