Zorgpunt Waasland & BDO

Building an efficient healthcare organisation

In 2019, all care services provided by Beveren, Kruibeke, Zwijndrecht and Sint-Niklaas were combined under the public association, Zorgpunt Waasland. BDO played a decisive role in the preparatory studies in 2015: ‘BDO drafted a well-thought-out governance for managing our organisation. It also thoroughly evaluated the options for achieving financial efficiency,’ Tjeu explains. ‘Their expertise in the public sector and in healthcare organisations was exactly what we needed.’ This specialised knowledge proved essential in shaping an organisation that could be run effectively and efficiently in a complex healthcare landscape. 

The collaboration has continued to evolve since the initial merger assignment. From setting up service voucher companies and annual financial reports to in-depth studies of property situations and new construction projects. Zorgpunt Waasland also engaged BDO’s expertise to develop management reporting, which is crucial in strategic decision-making. 

Collaboration with impact

One of the most telling examples of successful collaboration was the establishment of a service voucher company. ‘It was quite intense in December 2018,’ Tjeu recalls. ‘We were under enormous time pressure, but BDO provided all the necessary data and analysis in just three weeks. This meant we had a fully accredited service voucher company by 1 January 2019. This simply would not have been possible without their expertise and dedication.’ 

The long-term collaboration between Zorgpunt Waasland and BDO is typified by the rewarding balance between professionalism and smooth communication. ‘What I value most in our collaboration is the unique mix of an amicable and easy working relationship and the necessary professional distance. You don’t find that balance everywhere, but it is essential in our sector where we work with public funds while being held accountable,’ Tjeu stresses. ‘They understand our world while remaining critical and objective in their advice.’ 

An outlook with ambition: future vision and challenges

Zorgpunt Waasland’s ambitions for the future are crystal clear: offering affordable, accessible and, above all, high-quality care in the region. The organisation is considering expansion in the near future into complementary care sectors where local authorities are already active, such as childcare and extensive meal services. This would make the organisation offer an even more complete package of care services. 

As with any organisation with growth ambitions, Zorgpunt Waasland faces challenges. ‘In the current labour market, finding and retaining qualified staff and remaining attractive and modern as an employer is one of our biggest challenges,’ explaines Tjeu. ‘We constantly invest in our co-workers because they put our vision on care into practice. Moreover, affordability plays a crucial role in everything we do. We constantly look for innovative ways to keep our costs manageable without compromising on quality.’  

The topic of sustainability also requires increasing attention and investment. A modern residential care home is inevitably a significant energy consumer that can’t just cut back on heating, cooling or other comforts essential to its residents. 

Strategic decision-making as a foundation for success 

BDO’s research and recommendations have heavily influenced the development and strategic direction of Zorgpunt Waasland. ‘The analyses BDO carried out for us determined certain strategic choices,’ Tjeu confirmes with conviction. These valuable insights enabled the organisation to present their shareholders and other stakeholders with a clear, reasoned vision. This significantly boosted confidence in the organisation. 

With BDO’s expert guidance, Zorgpunt Waasland continues to work resolutely towards their social mission of providing highly qualitative and accessible care to all elderly people in the Waasland region. Both for today’s challenges and tomorrow’s uncertainties. ‘Together, we are building a care model ready for the future,’ Tjeu concludes.