With the move to the brand-new hospital wing of AZ Monica Deurne, a chapter that began 24 years ago in the polyclinic Stevenslei (SPM building) has come to an end on 21 October 2024.
For Orthoca, this move means not only progress towards a modern, state-of-the-art environment, but also a moment of reflection on a rich history that began more than 50 years ago.
A collaboration with deep roots
The cooperation between AZ Monica and the hospital’s orthopaedic department started as early as 1970, when Dr Jozef Verstreken headed the orthopaedic department. Dr Verstreken was a pioneer in Belgian healthcare. Under his leadership, the team began to focus on subspecialisations within orthopaedics, a progressive idea unheard of in Belgium at the time. Thanks to this vision, the orthopaedic department grew into a specialised centre for orthopaedic care
Innovation in the SPM building
In December 1999, the orthopaedic department moved into the SPM building. This building symbolized a second innovative vision, namely, to create an environment where complementary medical disciplines came together under one roof. Radiology, physiotherapy, physiotherapy and bandage therapists were brought together to provide patients with a complete care pathway, with each service complementing the other. This multidisciplinary care concept was one of the first in Belgium and proved a great success. It ensured that patients could be helped more efficiently and faster, leading to a strong synergy between the various services.
The evolution of Orthoca
For 15 years, the orthopaedic service has been operating under the name Orthoca, and thanks to its ongoing collaboration with AZ Monica, it has grown into one of the largest orthopaedic departments in Belgium. With 23 orthopaedic specialists and a team of specialised care providers, Orthoca provides high-quality care in more than 10 orthopaedic sub-disciplines. This collaboration has enabled not only the expansion of Orthoca, but also the creation of an innovative 3D lab, where personalised instruments are developed using advanced 3D printing technology. (Read more about our 3D lab here).
A new start in the hospital wing of AZ Monica
Since 21 October 2024, Orthoca has been fully operational in the new wing of AZ Monica Deurne. This modern building, with advanced facilities and technologies, gives us the opportunity to serve our patients even better and take further steps into the future of orthopaedic care. We would also like to express our sincere thanks to the AZ Monica board of directors, who have made this collaboration and growth possible. Thanks to their vision and support, we have grown into a leading orthopaedic centre.
While we look forward to this new step with enthusiasm, it is also with some melancholy that we say goodbye to the SPM building. The SPM building has been a place of history and innovation for us, and we are grateful for everything we have been able to realize here. With the opening of the new wing, Orthoca enters an even more promising future, where we will further strengthen our mission to provide high-quality orthopaedic care.
