Table 3 Identified strategies and initiatives used by healthcare insurers to operationalize citizen engagement in the Dutch healthcare system
Strategy | Identified factors contributing to the success of citizen engagement initiatives | Illustrative cases |
|---|---|---|
Population health orientation | • A well-established relationship with municipalities before the rollout of any initiative • Sufficient regional market share of the healthcare insurer • Broad support of stakeholders in the community (e.g. GPs) • The design of initiatives should be evidence-based | • Collaborating with municipalities on aiding people with financial problems • Convening focus groups of citizens for thematic discussions • Offering preventative programmes and e-health solutions promoting healthy lifestyles |
Empowering the insured | • Moving towards a professionalization of the council of insurees • Diversify communication channels and use clear-cut messages to help inform citizens’ decision-making • Ability to connect and to communicate with citizens sharing similar needs, within the provisions of the law | • Engaging the council of insurees early in the healthcare procurement process • Informing insurees on provider benchmarking results in regular newsletters • Omnichannel support to insurees who need assistance regarding navigating the healthcare system |
Data governance | • Data fitness for purpose and use • Data linkage between health information systems and actors at the national and regional level • Data availability on value for patients | • Measuring care providers’ performance towards supporting quality assurance and monitoring initiatives • Regional profiling of communities • Monitoring insurees’ care experiences and satisfaction by conducting complaints management |
Financial and incentive mechanisms | • Sufficient regional market share of a healthcare insurer may lead to a representation model (i.e. a healthcare insurer negotiating with providers on behalf of other healthcare insurers) • Sharing of benefits among actors who invest in prevention and health promotion | • Incentivizing value-based healthcare by offering multiyear or volume-free contracts to selected providers • Testing new approaches to healthcare procurement (e.g. selective contracting) |