Looking ahead at the financial situation in 2025
Big challenges in healthcare
Healthcare in the Netherlands is facing big challenges and we have bit ambitions, as this report shows. We are seeing a continuous increase of complex healthcare demands, partly due to a growing number of people with multiple chronic diseases. This development is reinforced by a dual aging phenomenon: not only is the number of older people increasing, but also the proportion of older employees in healthcare. At the same time, technological and medical opportunities make more and more treatments possible, which drives the demand for care even further.
On the other hand, we are faced with an ongoing scarcity on the job market. This brings big challenges in terms of both recruiting and retaining healthcare professionals. The work pressure in healthcare is high. Although sick leave slightly decreased in 2024, it was still 5.7% (higher than our standard). The financial scope within research is also under pressure countrywide. In the Integral Healthcare Agreement (IZA), it was agreed that the growth of healthcare expenses should remain limited. This asks for judicious choices and another way of organizing and funding.
We are conducting studies on how to also reduce the burden on healthcare professionals, patients, and habitat through better care. This requires a transformation on all fronts: of our own organization, of collaboration in the region, of the services that we offer, of disease prevention, of the training of new professionals, and of the implementation of innovations from research.
We are proceeding with the planned investments in the renovation of our buildings, while keeping an eye on sustainability. To finance this, we have saved some money in the past few years. At a later stage, we shall also attract external financing in the form of loans. To achieve our goals, staffing levels and cost control are important. We do the latter by continuing to focus on the efficient use of funds.
All of this requires a different, more efficient and more effective planning of our operations.
Staffing development
The development of our staffing on the one hand depends on the healthcare demand as well as our research and education portfolio, and the formation that is needed to carry out all our activities. On the other hand, it depends on developments in the labor market. In the currently tight labor market, it is not always possible to keep our staffing levels optimal.
We aim to employ as many people as possible on a contract basis and to limit the use of external hires to a minimum. The combination of limited funds and a shortage on the labor market demands a management that is focused on formation and a further downsizing of external staff.
