Borstcentrum Zuyd

Zuyderland Medical Center is a fused hospital since 2015, originated from Orbis medisch centrum Sittard-Geleen and Atrium medisch centrum Heerlen- Brunssum-Kerkrade. Improving and maintaining a high quality of patient centered care in the region was one of the reasons to merge. The 4 main locations have gotten their own profile of care. It was decided to concentrate the oncology care at the Zuyderland hospital site of Sittard-Geleen. At this site all patients have a private room when they need to be admitted to the hospital.

Borstcentrum Zuyd is the first value based health care center. It opened its doors in Sittard-Geleen in April 2017.

Due to the short access time, patients can come to the center within 24-48 hours. Mostly referred by the home physician, the patient is warmly welcomed at the breast care center by our hostesses. Within 1-24 hours we present our patients the complete set of diagnostic results so that they experience the least distress possible.

If there are no deformities in the breast the patient gets the results immediately. If additional diagnostics are necessary, the results are known by the next day. From the 2.000 patients that annually visit the breast care center about 1.550 patients go home relieved.

Around 450 patients turn out to have cancer and need further treatment. The case manager of the patient makes sure that the care is aligned throughout the whole care chain so ‘a smooth journey’ is guaranteed. The patient experiences a good collaboration between dedicated doctors, nurses and radiotherapists from Maastro. It ensures that patients feel taken serious and taken care off in the warmly designed and hospitable Borstcentrum Zuyd.

Patients express their gratitude by giving the breast cancer center an average of 8.7 on the scale of 1 (bad) to 10 (excellent). If asked if the patient would recommend another person to come to the Borstcentrum Zuyd their recommendation is around 70 on the NPS scale (on a scale 0-100). The patients reward the friendly approach, short access times, diagnostic test results in 1-24 hours and the interdisciplinary advice on the treatment within 48 hours.

In our three months improving cycle with the IPU we continuously improve on (medical and process) outcomes that matter the most to breast cancer patients.

The breast cancer center is an example for new to develop patient centered care processes in Zuyderland Medical Center.