Our Story

A pioneering healthcare organisation

Buurtzorg was founded in 2006 with a nurse-led model of holistic care that has revolutionised community care in the Netherlands and stands as a premier example of decentralised organising.

Client satisfaction rates are the highest of any healthcare organisation. Staff commitment and contentedness is reflected in Buurtzorg’s title of Best Employer (4 out of the last 5 years).
Significant financial results are also one of the outcomes. Ernst & Young documented savings of around 40 percent to the Dutch health care system, and a KPMG Case Study in 2012 found:

“Essentially, the program empowers nurses (rather than nursing assistants or cleaners) to deliver all the care that patient’s need. And while this has meant higher costs per hour, the results have been fewer hours in total. Indeed, by changing the model of care, Buurtzorg has accomplished a 50 percent reduction in hours of care, improved quality of care and raised work satisfaction for employees.”

Buurtzorg scaled very quickly across the Netherlands from 1 to 850 teams. During this time Buurtzorg grew in other areas of care such as mental health,  children and families and also supported other Dutch international care organisations to take on the Buurtzorg model of care.

Inspiring interest and collaboration from all over the world.

Collaboration is a foundation to Buurtzorg’s model of care and its operating model. Naturally, Buurtzorg has continued collaborating with others who are looking for  new ways of working at home and internationally.

See Collaboration  for an overview of Buurtzorg collaboration and news from our partners.