Updates

A pilot project testing a new financing model for home nursing care has been launched in response to rising demand from population ageing, chronic conditions and the shift towards home-based care. The system aims to prioritize quality over quantity, promote provider autonomy and expertise, focus on patient needs, support interdisciplinary collaboration and currently undervalued tasks such as patient education, and deliver more effective, holistic care. The new financing combines two components: time-based activity funding, covering care and travel time (replacing existing fee for service payments), and practice-based funding, rewarding quality investments such as training, interdisciplinary work and care coordination. The pilot will run for two years from 1 June 2026 and will be assessed by the Belgian Healthcare Knowledge Centre (KCE). Of the 58 participating practices, 32 will test the new model (1 007 professionals), while 26 will serve as a control group (912 professionals).