Six months after Co-Med went bankrupt, nearly all affected patients have a new general practitioner. Solutions were found for ten out of twelve practices affected by Co-Med’s collapse.
This spring, additional practices will open in Twente and Bergen op Zoom. In July, 50,000 Co-Med patients were left without a GP, prompting insurers to find alternative care.
Wouter Breebaart took over a former Co-Med practice in Breezand, North Holland, serving 4,000 patients. He emphasized the importance of having a physical GP presence for patients’ familiarity and trust.
Twente has struggled with a GP shortage, worsened by Co-Med’s closure, leaving 8,000 patients without care. A day clinic will open to serve half of these patients, while solutions for the rest are still being sought.
In Bergen op Zoom, 6,500 patients, including 4,800 Co-Med patients, were left without a GP. A new practice will open this spring for 3,850 former Co-Med patients, combining physical and digital care.
Until then, patients rely on an interim clinic. Issues arose, as noted by Joey van Aken, a Bergen op Zoom official, citing unmet urgent care needs.
Van Aken and Marjolein Tasche, chair of the National General Practitioners Association, stress the need for long-term solutions and adequate GP training and support to prevent future issues. They highlight the risks of commercial chains taking over GP practices, as seen with Co-Med’s bankruptcy.
Source: NOS