Belgium has a universal healthcare system, which is composed of three parts: first, there is a primarily publicly funded health care and social security service run by the federal government, which organises and regulates healthcare; independent private/public practitioners, university/semi-private hospitals and care institutions. There are a few (commercially-run for-profit) private hospitals. Secondly is the insurance coverage provided for patients. Finally, industry coverage, which covers the production and distribution of healthcare products for research and development. The primary aspect of this research is done in universities and hospitals.
Organization Healthcare in Belgium is mainly the responsibility of the federal minister and the "FOD Volksgezondheid en Sociale Zekerheid / SPF Santé Publique et Securité Sociale" ("Public Administration for Public Health and Social Security"). The responsibility is exercised by the governments of the Flemish, Walloon regions and the German-speaking community. Both the Belgian federal government and the regional governments have ministers for public health and a supportive administrative civil service.
Political and regulatory Territorial Competence Administrative service Federal
Legislative Federal Parliament Executive Federal Minister of Public Health and Social Security Belgium.be portal Gezondheid (in dutch)Belgium.be portal Santé (in french) Maggie De Block (2014-2019) Judiciary Administrative court: Council of State (Raad van State / Conseil d'État) Appeals: Court of Labour (Arbeidshof / Cour du travail) First Instance: Labour Court (Arbeidsrechtbank / Tribunal du travail) Public Administration for Public Health, Food Chain Safety and the environmentBelgium Health portal (FOD Volksgezondheid, Veiligheid van de Voedselketen en Leefmilieu / SPF Santé publique, Sécurité de la Chaîne alimentaire et Environnement) Public Health MEDEX: Department for Medical Expertise Civil service staff, absences, accidents at work, work related diseases Medical certification of pilots & air traffic controllers Medical certification of professional drivers Medical certification of ship officers War victims & military victims in peacetime Victims of violent crime Ombuds service Medical evaluation centres Superior Health Council:SHC Scientific advisory board Psychiatric health care: behaviour issues, addiction, education in psychiatric healthcare, best practice in therapy Environmental issues: Ionising radiation, sound & dust pollution Chemical environmental issues: chemical agents, pollution agents, biocides and pesticides Health and safety in nutrition and in the food chain Biohazards: (human) blood products, tissues and organs, infectious diseases, epidemiological monitoring Cosmetology Public Health Genomics Consultative bodies:Consultative bodies Commissions and consultations between public administration and healthcare institutions and organisations
National Council for Hospitals and Care institutions Nationale Raad voor Ziekenhuisvoorzieningen (N.R.Z.V.) Coordination advisory council between government and hospitals & care institutions Multipart structure Consultation advisory council constituted of:
professional organisations of: physicians, general practitioners, and specialists, nurses other medical practitioners hospitals and care institutions medical insurers the government experts from: public health, food chain safety and environment National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre National Council for Hospitals and Care institutions Nationale Raad voor Ziekenhuisvoorzieningen (N.R.Z.V.) Commission for Control of the Healthcare Budget and RIZIV Inspectorate of Finance (from Treasury Department, public spending). Joint Commission (De Nationale Paritaire Commissie Geneesheren-Ziekenhuizen) Consultation and advisory commission physicians - hospitals Commissions Working groups (Special Interest Commissions) on: Telematica (application of digital technology) Hospital digitisation Health networks Communication 1st & 2nd-line care Digital data communication of care practitioners Personal health data management Remote healthcare Embryo in vitro Antibiotics Patient rights Euthanasia Abortion Federal Platforms Advisory boards for: Palliative care Psychiatric care Coma patients Hospital hygiene Blood transfusion (BeQuinT) Board of physicians Medical practice, quality and evaluation advisory: Cardiac Pathologies Geriatrics Specialised Emergency response and care Intensive care Chronic kidney disease Mother and newborn infants Medical imaging and Radiation therapy Reproductive Health Oncology Paediatrics Inter-ministerial and intergovernmental conferences Consultative and coordination between Ministerial Depts. of Federal and Regional governments Agriculture Food safety Scientific R&D Policy Public health General policy Epidemic control Drug spolicy Committees Consultative committees Belgian counselling Committee for Bio-ethics Medical - pharmaceutical committee Federal breastfeeding committee Committee for medical utensils and machinery Planning Commission Investigates and plans Demand for care practitioners. Working group on physicians (GP) and specialists Working group on physiotherapists Working group on dentists Working group on nurses Scientific working group Scientific Institute of Public health:SIPh/WIV/ISPS Scientific expertise in public healthcare Directorate Communicable and infectious diseases Plays an important role within the Belgian, European and international networks of surveillance and response to infectious diseases and food safety hazards. detection early and rapid identification microbiological monitoring of communicable and infectious agents, preventing and treating such diseases. food borne pathogens bacterial diseases viral diseases mycology and aerobiology immunologyDirectorate Expertise, service provision and customer relations Providing the logistical, technical and scientific support. Biological standardisation: Assessment and checking the quality of biological medicines for human use (vaccines and blood products) before market Quality of medical laboratories: Assessment and checking the quality of clinical biology laboratories and in vitro diagnostic and medical devices Biosafety and biotechnology & platform Molecular biology and biotechnology: Assessing the risks linked to the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) Directorate Food, medicines and consumer safetyAnalytical chemical research to promote public health: detect the presence of chemical substances in food, consumer non-durables and the environment; scientific research in the following domains: Medicines Consumer safety Chemical residues and contaminantsDirectorate Public Health and surveillance epidemiology and toxicology centreTo provide reliable, practical and impartial information on the health of the Belgian population, inform the policy makers and population on factors that influence public health and public health policy. risk factors that affect health and well-being monitoring health problems illnesses that constitute a risk to public health assess the impact of lifestyle on public health improve quality of care assess risks of exposure to chemical substances and radiation coordinate sharing and transmission of health information in BelgiumBelgian GLP Monitoring Programme Quality Assurance Bureau (QAB) of IPH has been the official GLP (Good Laboratory Practice) Monitoring Authority for Belgium since 1988Federal Agency for medicines and health products. The competent authority for medicines and health products in Belgium. Safety of the food chain Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC). The competent authority for safety of the food chain in Belgium
Environment Federal agency for nuclear control (FANC) Monitors and controls the general public, workers, and the environment against the dangers of radiation.
Plants and animals CODA-CERVA (Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre Proactive policy in terms of food production safety, animal health and public health, at both the Federal and international levels: scientific research expert advice provision of services veterinary activities: epidemic, endemic and emerging transmittable diseases in animals zoonotic and emerging infectious diseases threatening public health epidemiology: surveillance, risk analysis, and molecular epidemiology agrochemical activities contaminants and the quality of the environment in the framework of safe food production Flemish Community Legislative the Flemish parliament Executive the Flemish Government, competent minister for welfare and social affairs, Jo Van Deurzen Judiciary none competent at this level The competent administration is the Flemish Public service for family-matters, wellbeing and health. health strategic competences public smoking ban, regulation and control, assistance with smoking cessation regulations on sale of alcohol drug and alcohol abuse and addiction health risks in construction radiation of wireless antennae subsidizing school milk and fruit controls on food quality and industrial kitchens sexual health hearing damage prevention help and assistance with: psychological help violence and abuse addiction healthcare prevention vaccination programs prevention in hospital and care environments patient rights insurance care situations home care psychiatric care geriatric care palliative care disabled basic support budget (Basisondersteuningsbudget - BOB) and personal assistance budget (Persoonsvolgende budget - PVB) financial support programs for disabled people elderly support benefit assistance for people with limited mobility recognition as disabled person and caregiver assistance with living for disabled learning and working for disabled people mobility issuers for disabled people French Speaking Community Legislative The Parliament of the French-speaking Community Executive The Walloon government Competent minister, Joelle Milquet Judiciary none competent at this level The competent administration is the "Direction de la Santé Publique de la federation Wallonie- Bruxelles". health strategic competences: public anti-addiction programs, smoking ban, drug and alcohol abuse, addiction support school health and kitchens healthcare prevention, vaccination programs care situations: home care, psychiatric care, geriatric care, care for disabled people German-speaking Community Legislative The Parliament of the German-speaking community Executive The government of the German-speaking community Competent minister for welfare and social affairs, Herr Antonios Antoniadis, Minister für Familie, Gesundheit und Soziales Judiciary none competent at this level The competent administration is the "Ministerium der DG". health for Children: school health and kitchens, health care, prevention, vaccination programs health for the elderly: home care, geriatric care, psychiatric care, industrial kitchens care for disabled people Provincial authorities Legislative The Provincial Council, which is the elected body Executive The Deputation or Provincial College and the Governor, who is appointed by the regional government, are the executive body. Within that college one deputy has the responsibility for welfare and social affairs. Judiciary none competent at this level The Provincial authority for welfare is competent for matters that transcend the local level or local competences. assistance of people with disabilities and special needs assistance with chronic care assistance with psychological care assistance for palliative care geriatric care care of children taken into public care by the juvenile judge hygienic control of industrial kitchens