Buurtzorg Nederland is a revolutionary healthcare system that utilizes small teams of district nurses who work in close contact with patients and families. Its organization minimizes costly and unnecessary “middle managers” whose presence widened the gap between care providers and patients. Jos DeBlok offers this innovative model as a solution to a healthcare system he says had become less focused on patient support and more about “production, protocols, and administration.”
DeBlok drew upon his history as a nurse as well as the recognition of systems as interconnecting, dynamic processes while creating Buurtzorg. He emphasizes the practices of deep listening and reflection when effecting change—which must be a collaborative process, rather than a top-down implementation of a new order.