News item | 13-04-2023 | 10:07
Minister Kuipers (Public Health, Welfare and Sport) today announced his final decision to concentrate operations on children with a congenital heart defect at Erasmus MC and UMC Groningen. Earlier this year, the minister’s intended decision was made at these two locations. Concentration of this complex form of care is necessary to improve the quality of care and reduce the risk of avoidable mortality and complications.
Minister Kuipers: “There has been talk for more than 30 years about the importance of the concentration of pediatric heart surgery. Everyone agrees. It is now time to move into action. I understand the concerns and emotions of parents, patients, staff and the UMCs. This decision has a major impact, and yet – in the interest of those patients in particular – it is necessary to do so. I listened carefully to the views of the parties involved. All things considered, I am now making a final decision in line with the earlier intended decision.”
This decision does not mean that all care for heart patients in Utrecht and Leiden will disappear. It’s only about the surgical procedures. Checkups, outpatient appointments, pre- and aftercare and discussions about medication can also take place after the concentration of operations for patients in the familiar hospital, by their own specialist. This also applies, of course, to any acute care for these patients.
Views of UMCs
In recent months, the university medical centers (umcs) involved have been able to share their views on the proposed decision both in writing and orally. The various opinions do not contain any new decisive reasons for deviating from the proposed decision.
Process
Time is needed to properly regulate the concentration of this care. The transition period is expected to last 2.5 years. The Dutch Federation of University Medical Centers (NFU) and the UMCs themselves are responsible for realizing the transition with the support of the aforementioned committee. The impact analysis of the NZa helps to shape the transition.
Importance of concentration
Several studies, reports and advisory reports over the years have shown that concentration of pediatric heart surgery is necessary to reduce the risk of preventable complications and mortality. When operations continue to be performed in more than two centers, healthcare professionals perform too few operations to maintain their skills and the availability of the very limited number of professionals per center is too low. This puts pressure on the quality and continuity of this care. Concentrating operations in two locations is in the best interest of the patient because it improves the quality of care and reduces the risk of avoidable death and complications.