The health care industry is one of the most technologically advanced in the world, with stunning examples of innovation in diagnosis and treatment. However, the health care sector also makes relatively less use of the opportunities available to apply new generic technologies (e.g. ICT) and organizational and management innovations. Health care markets are gradually transforming from supply-driven to more demand-oriented systems. For this reason an increased focus on efficiency in operations is observed. This will make health research and innovation a top priority.

Health care professionals are obviously critical to the successful delivery of health care services. Increasingly, these professionals are supported by innovative medical technologies to improve the quality of care. It is at the health care provider, i.e. at health centers and hospitals that policies and investments in health care are implemented. For this reason our services related to investments in health care are focusing on the health care provider level. 

ECORYS has developed extensive and in-depth experience in assessing the feasibility of investments in health care. It has advised a variety of health care providers on how to improve their capacity through expansion of services or renewal of medical equipment.

Health care professions are often heavily regulated. This can have a large impact on the availability of skilled staff. In Europe, the lack of good quality professionals is putting pressure on labor markets in the health care sector. Internationally, the World Health Organization speaks of a global crisis for health professionals. The migration of professionals to industrialized countries negatively affects, in particular, developing and transition countries in the supply of health services. Specific topics in the advisory work of ECORYS in these areas include the regulation and education of health care professionals as well as the development of health care labor markets

More information
For more information, please contact:

Arthur ten Have
Partner Health
T +31 (0)10 453 86 82
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Wija Oortwijn
Partner Health
T +31 (0)10 453 84 21
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Project references

Project: Due diligence of health care projects
Country: Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania
Client: European Investment Bank
Activities: Advising the EIB Human Capital Division (Services and Industry Department, Projects Directorate) on the economic, environmental, technical and financial viability of investments in hospitals and health facilities introduced to/selected by the EIB for financing.

Project: Study on migration of health care professionals from/to the Netherlands
Country: The Netherlands
Client: Dutch Ministry of Health
Activities: The purpose of this study was to investigate the facts concerning immigration and emigration of health care staff into and from the Netherlands. The study aimed specifically at providing facts on the size of migration, the rules concerning migration as well as the incentives and impediments.

Project: Engagement of health professionals in quality improvement in the UK
Country: United Kingdom
Client: Health Foundation
Activities: Evaluation of the Engaging with Quality Initiative. The Initiative has funded eight projects, run by professional bodies, each of which engages clinicians in different ways in different approaches to quality improvement. By conducting, evaluating and communicating these initiatives, the Health Foundation hopes to have a significant effect on the British healthcare system as a whole.

Project: Strengthening design and organization of the Health Management Information System (HMIS)
Country: Zambia
Client: European Delegation
Activities: The experts were involved in strengthening the HMIS seen as a combination of people, equipment and procedures organised to provide health information enabling concerned stakeholders to make timely and informed decisions. A modern, integrated, platform-independent HMIS database was set-up including the development and implementation of user training.
 
Project: Assessing the feasibility of proposals for hospital investments world-wide
Country: Worldwide (China, Ecuador, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya Morocco, Indonesia, Mozambique, Philippines, Uganda, South Africa, Tanzania, Turkey, Zambia, etc.)
Client: Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Activities: ECORYS has been involved in the evaluation of grant proposals under the Dutch Development Related Export Programme (ORET and its successor ORIO programme). ORIO provides grants to the clients of exporting companies that invest in economically viable but commercially unviable projects in developing countries (OECD Consensus Criteria). ECORYS carried out the appraisal of more than 70 projects involving a mix of investments in medical technology and renovation for secondary and tertiary hospitals. Each project appraisal includes financial and economic cost-benefit analyses, a review of the hospital budget and investment plan, as well as an evaluation of the project budget, tests on institutional and technical viability and environmental soundness. In addition, it is tested if the projects fit within the relevant sector plans and budgetary planning processes.