The urgency to change in the healthcare sector is evident

René de Backker: 'The healthcare sector is facing profound changes. It is clear to everyone that the pressure on healthcare is greater than ever. Increasing demand and labour shortages will put access to care at stake. Across the healthcare system, things will have to be organised differently. In my opinion, one of the main challenges is making our society more self-reliant. People need to be more in control of their own healthcare. More emphasis on prevention, right care in the right place and more attention to self-care. There is a responsibility within but also outside the healthcare sector to facilitate this. Both in terms of policy, organisation and technology.'

'But it also requires a culture change to make people aware of their own responsibility. The introduction of new medical technology and new digital possibilities offer great opportunities but also lead to different working methods and structures.'

´These are big challenges for change of course - also in financial terms - and it is a matter of the long haul. The vision is there, great ideas and the will to transform as well, but at the moment when real decisions have to be made, things often get stuck. This is where I can and want to play a role with my business background. Set the transformation in motion and solve all obstacles.´

´Innovations within healthcare often focus on the medical content, on better care for the patient. To implement changes within one's own organisation, different kind of knowledge is needed. How do we achieve process innovation, how do we achieve optimal partnerships with other healthcare parties? How do we solve our digitalisation issue. And of course, there are usually all kinds of interests at play, there is a lack of capacity and there is the question; who is going to pay for it. But without action, no results! Having always worked in line management positions, I am used to tackling these kinds of issues pragmatically.´

After studying Business Economics (VU), René went straight into healthcare, a sector he has had a great affection for from the start. Throughout his career, transformation and innovation have always played an important role. At the cooperative purchasing organisation OPG, for example, he was at the forefront of the consolidation drive within the pharmacy industry, resulting in major reorganisations and restructuring.

Together with 250 pharmacists, he built a new retail concept, under the new brand name Mediq, and initiated strategic cooperation with health insurers and the industry. After this, he became commercially responsible for managing seven business units at Alliance Healthcare as CCO. He transformed Alliance from a trading organisation to a service provider.
Under the name Alcura, he developed a concept for the administration of specialist medicines in the home.

He continued his career at Eurocept. As Managing Director, he played an important role in accelerating the shift of second-line care to the home. By putting the patient's interests first and by collaborating with medical specialists, hospital administrators, health insurers and nurses, various treatments, such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy and kidney dialysis, which previously took place in the hospital, were now performed at the patient's home.


´As a Partner of Boer & Croon, I believe I am in a position to help realise the necessary changes in healthcare. The Get it Done! mentality is in Boer & Croon's DNA and I noticed this immediately among both the young and more experienced people in our team. Precisely that can make all the difference in bringing these kinds of issues to a successful conclusion.´