Implementing an evidence-based Quality Management System: the case of the Flanders Quality Model and its implementation in University Hospitals Leuven
18 January 2027 | 14:00 - 15:30 | Online
€ 110.00 (Member) - € 140.00 (Non Member)
Overview
How can hospitals sustain and continuously improve care quality beyond external accreditation requirements? What does it take to build a quality management system that is embedded in everyday practice, supported by evidence and driven by the organisation itself?
The EHMA Masterclass on the Flanders Quality Model (FlaQuM) explores how hospitals can move beyond compliance-led accreditation towards internally driven, evidence-based quality management systems. Bringing together the model’s academic foundations and practical experience from one of Europe’s largest academic medical centres, the session will examine how organisations can make quality integral to their strategy, culture, and daily operations.
Developed at KU Leuven in collaboration with a network of 23 hospitals, FlaQuM provides a structured approach to strengthening organisational quality management. The model is currently used in Flanders and has also been adopted in the Netherlands, Canada and Tasmania.
What will you learn
The session will introduce the foundations and practical application of FlaQuM, exploring its main components:
- Think-do-learn cycle: connecting organisational strategy with frontline operations and supporting continuous learning and improvement.
- House of trust: establishing leadership, psychological safety and organisational culture as the foundations of quality management.
- Maturity matrix: assessing organisational maturity and progress rather than focusing solely on compliance with external requirements.
- Co-creation roadmap: guiding organisations through implementation as a structured, multi-year change process.
Participants will also explore how the model was developed and implemented across different hospital settings, and what organisations need to consider when building sustainable internal quality systems.
Learning from practice: the University Hospitals Leuven experience
During the Masterclass, a practical case study from University Hospitals Leuven will explore how they implemented FlaQuM in one of Europe’s largest academic medical centres. The presentation will cover its application in daily management, the challenges encountered, what worked in practice and the lessons learned throughout the organisational change process.
What will participants take away?
By the end of this 90-minute Masterclass, participants will better understand how to move from compliance-led accreditation to internally driven quality management. They will gain insight into the architecture of FlaQuM, its application in real hospital settings and practical steps to strengthen quality management within their own organisations.
Who will benefit from this Masterclass?
The session is particularly relevant for health managers, hospital and health system leaders, clinical managers, researchers, academics and board members interested in strengthening the quality of care and making continuous improvement part of their organisation’s core operations.
SPEAKERS
Prof Kris Vanhaecht
Prof Kris Vanhaecht
Full Professor | Leuven Institute for Healthcare Policy
Prof. Kris Vanhaecht is a full professor at the Faculty of Medicine at KU Leuven and teaches healthcare quality and patient safety in several master’s programmes.
He leads the Quality and Patient Safety research group at the Leuven Institute for Healthcare Policy (LIHP). His research focuses on quality management models, the organisation of care processes, support for healthcare providers after incidents (second victims) and person-centred care. In addition to his role at KU Leuven, he is active in quality policy at the University Hospitals Leuven.
At the national level, he chairs the Board of Directors and the General Council of Sciensano, the Belgian One Health research institute. Internationally, he is involved as an IHI Improvement Advisor and is the only Belgian member of the ISQua Academy.
He works closely with various international networks, including those linked to Erasmus University Rotterdam and the WHO.
Prof Dirk De Ridder
Prof Dirk De Ridder
Chief Quality Officer and Vice President Quality | University Hospitals Leuven
Prof. Dirk De Ridder is a Full Professor at KU Leuven, where he heads the Leuven Institute for Healthcare Policy and the Flanders Quality Model (FlaQuM).
His work focuses on healthcare quality and patient safety, quality management, and implementing improvements in healthcare organisations.
He is also involved in research and teaching in hospital management, healthcare organisation and quality management.
What our Members say
I have been active in EHMA since the first years of the '90s and I have seen its evolution from a small association of members interested in sharing knowledge on health management practices to the current status of reference and advisory key player for EU, health systems and organisations, stakeholders associations, industry and universities. EHMA is now a unique knowledge hub, policy advisor, community of practice and network of best in class organisations involved in health policy and management. A place where health managers can build their competences, policy-makers and stakeholder associations envision how to implement and sustain change through health management, industry leaders understand how to engage more effectively with health organisations and systems. The right place to nurture and grow health management capabilities and capacity for every stakeholder of health systems.
Prof Federico Lega, University of Milan, Italy
Health management has a crucial function in shaping public health and health system challenges. The Medical University of Varna, Bulgaria had success in collaborating with EHMA on EU-funded projects that has resourced us to create new health management competencies for the future workforce. In addition to all classical definitions, health management is a science dealing with individuals, groups, and society at large. It is an art contributing to the beauty of our lives and an interactive communication process at all levels of institutions and human energy. I have also had the pleasure to chair the South Eastern European Special Interest Group which gives members a space to discuss and tools to address how health systems are managed in our regions.
Prof Todorka Kostadinova, Medical University of Varna, Bulgaria
I enjoy the high level of interaction and engagement in EHMA’s activities, in particular during the annual conference where the panel discussions are rich and well prepared. As a hospital manager and professor of health management, EHMA motivates and inspires me to be creative. You go back home feeling energised from seeing old friends and making new connections, as well as being convinced of serving as EHMA’s ambassador. It’s a strong feeling of interdisciplinary engagement, but it also feels like being part of family-like community.
Prof Sandra C. Buttigieg, MD, University of Malta, Malta
Health workforce has become more essential in operating, managing and maintaining health systems lately, particularly in crisis and emergency situations. European healthcare professions and the workforce need to be high on the agenda of managers and decision makers. The Health Services Management Training Centre, Semmelweis University in Hungary is a longstanding EHMA member, because it connects us with collaborators and experts, with whom we can have complex debates, from whom we can learn and at the end find solutions in various challenging fields of healthcare management.
Dr Eszter Kovács, Health Services Management Training Centre, Semmelweis University, Hungary
As a hospital administrator and health management professor, I see on a daily basis that the healthcare challenges require talented and skilled managers to transform it. the EHMA membership has been beneficial to bring healthcare management research and education to the demanding healthcare services world, promoting healthcare management competencies and knowledge creation.
Dr Alexandre Lourenco, APAH - Association of Portuguese Hospital Managers, Portugal
Many healthcare systems in Europe and beyond are facing similar challenges which require innovative and creative solutions. EHMA’s annual conference, webinars, Programme Directors’ group and other activities and resources provide incredible opportunities for networking, connecting and sharing experiences. A distinct feature of EHMA is the diversity of members with representation from many countries, sectors and different communities of practice – academic, policy-makers, practitioners, managers, leaders and students. The annual conference is a highlight in the calendar year, offering a friendly, fun and learningful environment for emerging and established members to engage, collaborate and meet up with old and new friends. I am proud to be a member of the EHMA Board.
Prof Ann Mahon, University of Manchester, UK
Society evolution, pandemics and ageing modify health needs. So, health policies and services are to change dramatically. EHMA, through webinars, workshops and annual conference provides an excellent insight to a professional changing world, favouring closeness to management innovation and the protagonists of these changes. As a primary care services’ manager, participating in EHMA activities is really worth it and allows to involve oneself in the innovation processes.
Antoni Peris-Grao, MD, Consorci Castelldefels Agents de Salut (CASAP), Spain
