A new group of Orthopaedics CTM within the merged hospital
On June 19th of 2008 a new group, called CTM Orthopaedics, came into being. This group is the result of the actual merger of two existing groups, previously active in the AZ Nikolaas hospital (department of orthopaedics: Dr. Delport, Dr. Hens, Dr. Zachée, Dr. Mulder and Dr. De Schepper) and in the AZ Maria Middelares hospital (GOT: Dr. Dellaert, Dr. Van Backle, Dr. Van Esbroeck, Dr. Matton, Dr. Dom), respectively. These two groups were able to merge after countless, long and constructive meetings, on the principle that "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts".
Naming our group
The name Orthopaedics CTM may cause some surprise, but it is a very conscious choice. The appendix CTM stands for "Care to Move". This concise phrase embraces the message of "taking care" or "caring for" (care), which is essential in practising medicine. At the same time, it also calls attention to everything to do with the musculoskeletal system and the ever increasing importance of functionality and sporting activities in our modern society (move). As our department is active on an international basis and, therefore, needs to be identifiable in an increasingly mediatized medical landscape, it was a well-considered move to opt for an English name.
The need to merge and the importance of subspecialties
To both groups it became clear quite quickly that the only way to prepare for the future evolution of orthopaedics would be to join forces.
Indeed, the challenges are numerous:
- Demographic changes:
Although orthopaedics is a specialty that deals with problems of people of any age, the number of aged patients will continue to rise due to the reversal of the population pyramid. This will decidedly result in a rise in geriatric traumatology, as well as prosthetic and revisionary surgery. The hospital will have to be prepared for this, since these people’s social problems will also determine their hospital stay.
- Evolution of patients:
Patients have become more, and sometimes also better, informed. In any case, they go looking for more information. Moreover, they have become much more mobile, which definitely enhances the phenomenon of medical shopping. We can respond to this by combining the know-how of our different doctors.
Patients are having increasingly higher hopes. More and more attention is being paid to the patient’s quality of life and the possibility of playing sports, even later in life. Nowadays, an artificial joint should not only alleviate pain, it should also improve the function. Only if doctors keep on specializing and gathering knowledge on techniques and materials, can they meet those expectations.
- Increasing technicality of the various specialties:
Even more so than in any other specialty, there is an ongoing and unstoppable evolution happening for each joint or each part of the body. For us to be able to treat patients in the best possible way, in a large, regional hospital, it is absolutely necessary to join forces.
- A high number of International patients:
The department already has an international appeal and we will continue to work on this in the future. We have become very experienced in treating patients from different European countries (especially the UK and the Netherlands). Due to the lingering problems in many of the countries around us, particularly in terms of waiting lists, and due to the European open border policy, our country will continue to have a very high appeal for people needing some kind of medical care. The hospital should see this as an additional source of income.
In order to meet all these challenges manpower is needed. In addition to this, it is absolutely necessary for each doctor to choose a focal point. Because not everyone can follow the evolution concerning cartilage. Not everyone can perform revisionary surgery as successfully. So, the subspecialties the doctors already had in the existing groups, have been further refined. Moreover, every limb and every joint will be examined by two, sometimes even three, doctors, which enhances continuity.
In traumatology also this subspecialty will be a trump card. It enhances the quality of care for the patient. Numerous studies have shown that the success rate rises the more people do the same thing. Orthopaedics CTM meets this norm completely.
Other trump cards of Orthopaedics CTM and advantages of the AZ Nikolaas hospital.
- A training centre:
There has been a long-standing tradition within the department to train orthopaedic registrars/residents. We can go on honouring this commitment. Thanks to the higher number of doctors our trainees can come in contact with more techniques ands more visions. In our capacity as a training centre we can strengthen the bond with different universities in Flanders, which can also matter greatly to the hospital. Only recently our mandate, as a training centre for orthopaedists, was renewed by the federal government.
Apart from registrars/residents in training there is a growing request from residents to come and specialize in our centre, in a particular technique, for a couple of months (for instance, arthroscopic techniques in shoulder surgery, spinal column surgery, hip arthroscopy and so on). We are proud to have already welcomed several residents and applications keep on pouring in for the coming years.
This department is also seen as a visitor’s centre by firms, which has resulted in a rush of visitors from all over the world. This activity will be developed even more. Moreover, several doctors of Orthopaedics CTM have been involved in teaching projects concerning a variety of fields in orthopaedics. And some of them have performed live surgeries in different European and Asian centres.
If Orthopaedics CTM can present itself like this, it will also give the AZ Nikolaas hospital even more appeal.
- Continuity of care:
The AZ Nikolaas hospital is spread out over various campi. Thanks to our numerousness we can develop significant activities on all campi and we can optimize the hospital bed occupancy rate. Moreover, we can examine patients on the different campi and at our private surgery at the same time.
The accessibility for the inhabitants and the general practitioners of the Waasland area is also optimal.
- On-call arrangements:
Continuity is guaranteed by a sound on-call system. Even during holidays or when one of the doctors of the group is absent. On top of this system, there is also an on-call system for spinal problems, provided by the doctors specialized in this subspecialty (Dr Van Esbroeck, Dr Zachee, Dr Matton). Subspecialties also give us the possibility to refer complex cases to the right person within the group.
We are, therefore, fully prepared for a hospital with both an acute and non-acute campus, in which the activities on the non-acute campus can be continued in case of emergencies
- Our own staff:
Apart from the doctors, orthopaedics CTM employs 15 people (both secretaries and OR nurses). These people are not on the hospital’s payroll. Our seven OR nurses help our group to work efficiently. And in an indirect way they also make the hospital staff’s task lighter (especially in the OR). They also lighten the hospital’s budget load.
Relationship with the AZ Nikolaas hospital
The AZ Nikolaas hospital has never made a secret of the fact that Orthopaedics is one of the spearheads in their development. Moreover, the new group of Orthopaedics has been called one of the few departments with a supra-regional profile.
The great ambitions of Orthopaedics CTM can only be carried out if the hospital honours its commitment. The realization of the daycentre campus SL is a fine example of this. We hope that this trend can be continued by creating digital operating theatres, by ensuring hospital beds and OR time. Opting swiftly for localizing the activities of Orthopaedics, as a whole, would only improve efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Then we can completely focus on traumatology on the acute campus, in terms of materials, nursing wards and operating theatres.
As a partner of the AZ Nikolaas Hospital we hope to be able to work together in a constructive manner with mutual respect.
Dr Delport, Dr Hens, Dr Zachee, Dr De Mulder, Dr De Schepper, Dr Dellaert, Dr Van Backlé, Dr Van Esbroeck, Dr Matton, Dr Dom.
Who are we?
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