Social Solutions for Loneliness and Money Problems in Healthcare

People who are lonely or have money problems sometimes come to the GP practice with medical complaints, such as stress, anxiety and gloom. This also happens after the loss of a partner or job. These patients fill 20 to 50 percent of the consultation hours at the GP and incur high, sometimes unnecessary, healthcare costs. “The solution for these kinds of complaints often lies in the social and not in the medical domain,” says Jan Joost Meijs of the National Knowledge Network Welzijn op Recept.

Health insurer Zorg en Zekerheid also believes that being active in your neighborhood makes people healthier. “It can provide up to ten extra years of life and save healthcare costs,” says Care division manager Susanne Rutten. “That is why Zorg en Zekerheid invests in Welzijn op Recept from the start. As a result, most well-being prescriptions are already being written in our regions. We are proud of the healthcare professionals and municipalities that are leading the way with Welzijn op Recept.”

Well-being on Recipe

Last night, a large part of the municipalities signed the special declaration of intent together with general practitioners, regional and welfare organizations. All parties will work closely together for two years. In concrete terms, this means forming a learning community that ensures that Welzijn op Recept becomes a real part of the daily practice of care, welfare and the social community. They make every effort to involve representatives of residents in the learning community.

Less workload

A second goal is to reduce the burden on the GP and GP practice. The GPs and regional organizations are therefore extra happy with the declaration of intent. In the coming months, they will work proactively and target group-oriented towards at least one Welzijn op Recept patient per GP per week.

After the referral, the patient comes to a welfare or neighborhood coach. “It motivates the patient in a short-term, activating process to do something that makes him or her happy again,” says Jan Joost Meijs of the Knowledge Network Welzijn op Recept. “This brings color back into their lives and (again) meaningful contact with other people. The higher goal is to increase the well-being, self-reliance and self-confidence of patients.”

Contact in the social domain

Welfare organizations also see the benefits of Welzijn Recept. “If someone feels alone, the GP cannot do much for them,” concludes Jan Joost Mejs. “The social domain offers many more possibilities. People really flourish when they come into contact with other people, move together or learn something new. An additional advantage: the GP gets more time for patients who need medical help. This results in 5 to 10 percent lower healthcare costs, according to recent research.”

By: National Care Guide