White and Yellow Cross

The White and Yellow Cross represents the largest non-profit organization for home nursing in Flanders (Northern part of Belgium). The organization is composed of five autonomous provincial organizations with a covering Federation in Brussels. We are involved in local, provincial and national policy, which enables us to efficiently translate policy to practice. Furthermore, we have a longstanding cooperation with partners in Romania.

What we do

The White and Yellow Cross provides patient-centered home nursing care. We guarantee quality and continuity of care in accordance to the needs of the patient/family. How?

  • we have specialized home nurses in wound care, diabetes, dementia, psychiatry, etc.
  • we provide 24/7 care delivery service
  • our care is focused on the patient and his family and their believes/culture, and on safe, integrated, efficient and effective patient/family care at home

There is an increased need for homecare in global healthcare because of:

  • increased life expectancy
  • ageing population
  • shift of care from hospital and residencies to home
  • shift towards more chronic diseases with more frailties and multi-morbidities

We invest in: 

  • patient empowerment, including the stimulation and support of technological innovations for the patient to remain at home for as long as possible
  • task shifting (delegation of nursing activities to healthcare assistants)
  • multidisciplinary collaboration (in light of the increased complexity of care)
  • partnership with and support of the general practitioners.

With regard to the public funding we receive, we feel we are responsible to cost effectively answer patient's (and families') needs for care.  

Vision

The home care nurse of the White and Yellow Cross:

  • works as an autonomous professional in a responsible and qualitative nursing care relationship with the patient as a unique individual
  • shows essential respect for the patient
  • uses her proficiency and expertise in order to be there for the patient
  • makes it happen in the security of and in collaboration with a team of colleagues, in synergy with the attending physician and other health care providers
  • is actively supported by an organization where at all levels, given the economic reality, choices are made to assign the available resources in an appropriate and responsible way.  

Electronic nursing record

Each home nurse in the White and Yellow Cross is part of a small care team. The electronic nursing record supports the exchange of patient information within this care team. This way there is always someone there for the patient and his family, every day, 24/7.

The White and Yellow Cross developed an online application to exchange patient information between the home care nurse and the patient’s physician. The patient and his informal caregivers have access to these care data as well. In this scope mijnWGK contributes to the most important care coordination between physician, nurse, patient and his inner circle.

Scientific approach

Quality of care is very important in the organization. Our care is based on evidence based data through:

  • scientific research within the organization
  • participation in research conducted by other organizations and the government

The results of these studies are used to optimalize our care (evidence based nursing). Take a look at our scientific publications.

Innovation

People in need of care want to safely stay home as long as possible. Often the support of family or friends is sufficient, but informal caregivers can’t cover everything. Moreover, not everyone has a sufficient network to support them in their everyday needs.

Therefore the White and Yellow Cross offers innovative applications to support the quality of life of patients, for example via the ’Zorgcentrale’ and a personal alarm system. Many extensions are possible on the personal alarm system, like smoke, CO, or movement detectors. The White and Yellow Cross continuously invests in new technologies, for instance wander detection, monitoring, and key systems, who support living safely at home.

Some numbers

In 2022, we took care of 135,116 patients. Our care staff visited 59,377 patients per month on average. The upper age category was strongly represented. 72.3% of the patients was older than 60.

The White and Yellow Cross counts 6,877 employees (4,948 of them are nurses).

Do you want to work at the White and Yelllow Cross?

That's with our approach and your style! We're looking for new colleagues in different regions. Discover an overview of our vacancies.

Need more information? Contact us!

Wit-Gele Kruis van Vlaanderen vzw
Frontispiesstraat 8 box 1.2
1000 Brussels
02-739 35 11

wgk@vlaanderen.wgk.be