The implementation of distributed and agile governance is never immediate in a company. In the particular case of Mentaal Beter, the organisational change was not a matter for executives, managers and employees, but for mental health professionals.

A challenge that Martin de Heer, CEO of NL Mentalcare Group, took up in the Netherlands.

Between health and business

With a degree in hospital psychiatric care and an MBA in business management and administration, Martin de Heer began by creating small structures with psychologists, in a rather informal way, with the idea of implementing working methods different from large health structures. This has spun off somewhat and merged with the franchise network of Mentaal Beter in 2009. The network now has around 1000 professionals serving the mental disorders of children, adolescents and adults in 110 practices and clinics. 35,000 patients followed each year, a claimed satisfaction rate of 8.5/10 (above the national average), and an overall turnover of 80 million euros. A real business, where profitability rates take a place that fits the healthcare sector; Martin de Heer speaks of customers rather than patients. The difference with a traditional company lies mainly in the fact that the “employees” here are psychologists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists… Who have their own professional standards and ways of communicating.