Buurtzorg

Buurtzorg Home care at its best

Question # 1 What is the purpose of Buurtzorg?

Buurtzorg’s purpose is to help people live meaningful,

autonomous lives.

http://www.reinventingorganizationswiki.com/Evolutionary_Purpose http://www.leadershipandchangemagazine.com/reinventing-organizations-a-case-study/

3 Buurtzorg goals: 1. Maintain or regain patients’ independence.

2. Train patients and families in self-care.

3. Create networks of neighborhood resources.

https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/case-study/2015/may/home-care-self-governing-nursing-teams-netherlands-buurtzorg-model

Buurtzorg is an innovative approach in the Netherlands which was set up to deliver home care to all kinds of patients.

http://journal.aarpinternational.org/a/b/2013/06/Buurtzorg-Nederland-Nurses-Leading-the-Way

Question # 2

How good is Buurtzorg?

How good is Buurtzorg compared with other home care organizations?

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3397074094 page 16.

Compared with traditional nursing organizations in the Netherlands, people who use http://www.buurtzorgnederland.com/ 1. get healthy / cured faster, 2. require half the amount of care, 3. experience 1/3 fewer emergency hospital admissions, 4. have shorter average stays when they are hospitalized.

5. are less likely to go into nursing homes. http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/case-studies/2015/may/home-care-nursing-teams-netherlands http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/09/19/putting-soul-back-into-business/

Ernst & Young estimated that the Netherlands would save nearly EURO 2 billion a year if all home care organizations achieved results like http://www.buurtzorgnederland.com/.

http://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/2014/07/30/dutch-model-offers-alternative-approach-home-care/ http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/09/19/putting-soul-back-into-business/ http://journal.aarpinternational.org/a/b/2013/06/Buurtzorg-Nederland-Nurses-Leading-the-Way

Cost comparison

http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/case-studies/2015/may/home-care-nursing-teams-netherlands

Question # 3 What do nurses do to help people?

5 examples of home-care services nurses do: 1. Assess patients’ needs.

2. Develop and implement care plans.

3. Provide care services.

4. Schedule medical visits as needed.

5. Generate documentation needed to facilitate continuous care and billing.

https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/case-study/2015/may/home-care-self-governing-nursing-teams-netherlands-buurtzorg-model

At the heart of the Buurtzorg nurse-led model is self management.

It is about empowering patients and making the most of their existing capabilities, resources and environment.

http://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/2014/07/30/dutch-model-offers-alternative-approach-home-care/

A nurse, who works with an elderly person, may start working with a client by having a cup of coffee with him or her and finding out what the elderly person 1. can still do herself / himself, and 2. can no longer do / needs help with.

http://livestream.com/accounts/5587887/events/6186028/videos/135388718

Nurses continuously educate themselves to be able to do many different tasks for a client during one visit. This is efficient and it improves the social interaction, because only a few care professionals need to visit each client.

The average patient visit lasts 25 minutes.

http://www.business-improvement.eu/lead_change/Buurtzorg_autonomous_teams.php https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/case-study/2015/may/home-care-self-governing-nursing-teams-netherlands-buurtzorg-model

When there is a problem, each nurse corrects things himself / herself.

http://journal.aarpinternational.org/a/b/2013/06/Buurtzorg-Nederland-Nurses-Leading-the-Way http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/09/19/putting-soul-back-into-business/

Question # 4 How does a nurse team work?

Each team comprises maximum 12 nurses.

http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/case-studies/2015/may/home-care-nursing-teams-netherlands https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3397074094 page 16.

A team of nurses has responsibility for a defined geographic

area, typically encompassing around 10,000 Dutch residents.

Each team takes responsibility for all aspects of care for 50 – 60 patients.

http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/case-studies/2015/may/home-care-nursing-teams-netherlands https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3397074094 page 16.

Each team of nurses:  finds people who need care.  schedules who will serve which people.  recruits new team members.  manages finances.  constantly improves the quality and efficiency of care.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3397074094 Page 16.

On a team nurses, 5 nurses have the following extra roles:  Planner.  Housekeeper and treasurer.  Performance monitor.  Developer.  Mentor.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3397074094 Page 16.

During a meeting in a team of nurses, 1. each nurse suggests ideas on what to do and change.

2. each nurses votes on which ideas to try out.

When there are no fundamental objections against trying out and idea, the idea will be tried out to find out how well it works.

http://www.business-improvement.eu/lead_change/Buurtzorg_autonomous_teams.php http://www.enliveningedge.org/features/jos-de-blok-founder-buurtzorg-speaks-journey

Question # 5

How do nurses get better?

Each nurse decides herself / himself 1. what he or she needs to learn, 2. which person – internal or external - is the best person to help him or her get better.

http://www.reinventingorganizationswiki.com/Training_and_Coaching

On the Buurtzorg social platform called “Welink�, nurses post questions and tips. This transparency creates a powerful incentive for peer-to-peer learning and continuous improvement.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3397074094 Page 16.

Nurses contact coaches when problems arise.

Coaches may suggest solutions that other teams have used.

However, coaches have no power to impose these solutions.

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/09/19/putting-soul-back-into-business/

Coaches coach nurses about  how to listen actively,  how to make decisions,  how to solve conflicts, and  how to coach each other.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3397074094 page 16. http://www.leadershipandchangemagazine.com/reinventing-organizations-a-case-study/ http://www.strategy-business.com/article/00344

Nurses are encouraged to build expertise in areas that most interest them.

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/09/19/putting-soul-back-into-business/

Question # 6

How is Buurtzorg organized?

The Buurtzorg management approach called “integrating simplification� works. It is characterized by a simple, flat organizational structure through which a wide range of services, facilitated by information technology, can be provided.

https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/case-study/2015/may/home-care-self-governing-nursing-teams-netherlands-buurtzorg-model

11,000 nurses and 4,000 domestic helpers work for Buurtzorg.

They are organized into 1,200 self-managing teams.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3397074094 Page 16.

Buurtzorg’s administrative personnel include  52 regional and head office coaches.  50 back office staff - mostly IT professionals.  2 senior directors - including Jos de Blok, Buurtzorg’s founder.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3397074094 Page 16.

There is no HR department in the Buurtzorg network of nurses.

http://www.business-improvement.eu/lead_change/Buurtzorg_autonomous_teams.php http://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/2014/07/30/dutch-model-offers-alternative-approach-home-care http://journal.aarpinternational.org/a/b/2013/06/Buurtzorg-Nederland-Nurses-Leading-the-Way

Nurses use an IT system for  online scheduling,  documentation of nursing assessments and services,  billing.

http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/case-studies/2015/may/home-care-nursing-teams-netherlands

Buurtzorg leader Jos de Blok writes a blog.

Decisions are made when it is obvious that ideas / experiences that people share on the blog go in a certain direction.

https://youtu.be/BeOrNjwHw58 From minute 5.