Buurtzorg, a not for profit homecare provider located in the Netherlands, has a reputation for delivering high quality and affordable elder care services. The following interviews with Jos de Blok and Gertje van Roessel highlight the Buurtzorg philosophy and operation methods in homecare management, which center on neighborhood resources, family members, and neighbors.

Buurtzorg provides patient centered care. Buurtzorg uses the patients’ resources and networks to help meet their needs. It also relies on professional staff, especially nurses. Buurtzorg nurses work in teams of ten to twelve. Nurse teams are self governing. Each nurse is a manager. One of the core principles of the care model is to unlock a person’s abilities to care for him or herself. Care is considered a success when patients care for themselves and nurses are no longer needed.

The lean model of the organization is one of the keys to its success. Overhead costs are around eight percent. Buurtzorg generates surplus income, which is used to fund innovation and expansion. In 2012, Buurtzorg ranked first among all homecare organizations in patient satisfaction in the national quality of care assessment. Its methods are being replicated worldwide.