ACM clears merger between two hospitals in the region of Leiden

The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has cleared the merger between two health care groups in the region of Leiden, located in the western Dutch province of Zuid-Holland. These groups are the Rijnland Zorggroep (based in the town of Leiderdorp), and the Diaconnessenhuis Hospital (based in the city of Leiden).  ACM believes that health insurers and patients will continue to have sufficient options for hospital care in this region.

The Rijnland Zorggroep has a hospital in the town of Leiderdorp, an outpatients’ clinic in the town of Alphen aan den Rijn, and offers intramural and extramural care services in various locations. The Diaconessenhuis offers clinical and non-clinical health care from its main location in Leiden and has outpatients’ clinics in the towns of Katwijk, Hillegom and Sassenheim.

Most health insurers and patient organizations of both health care groups are favorable to this merger. Insurers will still be able to offer enough options for hospital care to the insured, and patients will still have enough hospital options in the vicinity.

ACM sets great store to the opinions of patient associations and health insurers, and it has carefully weighed all of the different arguments. ACM’s method of assessing mergers and collaborations in the health care industry is explained in the document ‘Assessing mergers and collaborations in hospital care’, which can be found on ACM’s website.