Trouble at MC Groep Lelystad cardiology department
All four of the cardiologists at MC Groep’s Lelystad hospital are absent from work following an unpopular move to outsource cardiology work to rival chain Cardio Centra Nederlands. MC is the largest (well, actually the only) hospital privatisation group in the country.
Two years ago another MC Groep cardiologist, Meno Baars, left to start his own group: HartKliniek Nederland. He told the Dutch press 1,500 patients had switched providers from MC Groep to HartKliniek since February.
We hear that MC Groep’s CEO, Loek Winter, prefers to partner with other providers if he cannot be certain of a particular level of service internally. The eye care of Lelystad has also been outsourced – to the Zonnestraal Eye Hospital.
This latest move looks to have endangered what is left of the cardiology department. Two of the four cardiologists have already left and the remaining two are on sick leave. A spokeswoman for MC Groep says that the department is at full strength and cardiologists have been flown in from VU University Medical Centre and Cardio Centra.
Our source believes that cooperation between Cardio Centra and MC Groep will be intensified.
We would welcome your thoughts on this story. Email your views to Max Hotopf or call 0207 183 3779.
