VU University Medical Center

VU University Medical Center Amsterdam (Dutch: VU Medisch Centrum or VUmc) is the university hospital affiliated with the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. It is rated one of the best academic medical centers in the country in terms of patient care[2][3] and research.[4] It is located next to Amsterdam's A10 ringway in the southwestern part of the city, next to the campus of the Vrije Universiteit and close to Schiphol airport.

VU University Medical Center Amsterdam
Stichting VU-VUmc
VU University Medical Center is located in Netherlands
VU University Medical Center
Location in the Netherlands
Geography
LocationDe Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, Netherlands
Coordinates52°20′04″N 4°51′36″E
Organisation
FundingGovernment hospital
TypeTeaching
Affiliated universityVrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Services
Emergency departmentYes, Level I Trauma Center
Beds733
HelipadYes
History
Opened1964 (as the Academic Hospital of the Vrije Universiteit)[1]
Links
Websitewww.vumc.com
ListsHospitals in Netherlands

On 30 October 2015, researchers at the VUmc Cancer Center Amsterdam reported developing a blood test that, from a single drop of blood, can diagnose cancer with a probability of 97%, and about 6-8% probability of a false diagnosis, in healthy patients.[5][6] In October 2015 the VUmc got the first MRIdian system in Europe, currently the most advanced radiation therapy system to treat tumors, because the system has a built-in MRI scanner to aim the radiation optimally.[7]

History
Abraham Kuyper (1899)

VU University Medical Center Amsterdam was opened in 1964 as the Academic Hospital of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU). This was made possible by the Vrouwen VU-hulp ('Women VU Assistance') charity, which was started in 1932 and aimed to support the Vrije Universiteit.[8] Money was collected in the now iconic green tins with the likeness of Abraham Kuyper. These tins were distributed to families of the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands, specifically to the housewives of those families. After the end of the Second World War the charity's goal became to raise money to start a medical school. It took about seven years before sufficient funds were raised, with the government footing 85 percent of the bill. Because of this, the idea that VUmc was funded by the kleine luyden ('little people') still exists today.[9]

Bos-2008.jpg
Wouter Bos (2008)

VU University Medical Center Amsterdam was created in 2001 by the merger of the Academic Hospital of VU with the medical school of VU, nowadays called VUmc School of Medical Sciences. In June 2013 Wouter Bos was appointed as chairman of the board of directors of VU University Medical Center.

Cooperation and merger

VU University Medical Center Amsterdam is in the process of merging with the other university hospital of Amsterdam, the Academic Medical Center, which is affiliated with the Universiteit van Amsterdam, Amsterdam's other university.[10] Together, in 2018, they merged to form Amsterdam University Medical Centers.

Care

Tertiary care departments include advanced trauma care, pediatric and neonatal intensive care, cardiothoracic surgery, neurosurgery, infectious diseases and other departments. VUmc has the largest Level I trauma center in the country and an air medical services helicopter is affiliated with the hospital, covering three provinces.

Air medical services affiliated with VUmc

Special units include:

Research and education

The VUmc has one of the highest publications in the Netherlands and has a well known reputation worldwide for class leading research.[11] VUmc has several special research units, some of which are:

  • VUmc Cancer Center Amsterdam (CCA)
  • Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam (NCA)
  • EMGO Research Institute
  • Institute for Cardiovascular Research (ICaR-VU)

The VUmc also focuses on education and has different departments for their students.[12] These are:

  • VUmc School of Medical Sciences (Faculty of Medicine)
  • VUmc Academy (coaching for medical students and based on e-learning)
  • VUmc Amstel Academy (department for educating Nurses)

The Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria (CEGD; or Kennis- en Zorgcentrum Genderdysforie, KZcG), a transgender clinic, is located at the VUmc.[13][14]

Reputation

The medical center installed 35 high-grade security cameras and 35 microphones in the emergency department of the hospital for 16 days in January and February 2012 to film the TV program 24 uur: tussen leven en dood (based on the British program 24 Hours in A&E.) After broadcasting[15] the first episode the show was cancelled at the request of the VUmc.[16]

Initially, three patients brought charges[17][18] against the hospital and the production company for breaking doctor-patient confidentiality, illegal wiretapping and breach of Dutch privacy laws. The charges were settled, and VUmc agreed to pay €30,000.[19]

References
  1. "Dedicated care". VUmc. 2001-01-01. Retrieved 2015-09-27.
  2. "Het beste academische ziekenhuis van Nederland - Wegwijs". Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  3. "Nieuws, achtergronden en opinie - Elsevier.nl". Elsevier. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  4. "De Nederlandse universitair medische centra" (PDF). Nfu.nl. Retrieved 2015-09-27.
  5. Simons, Warren (30 October 2015). "Single Drop Of Blood Will Soon Be Enough To Diagnose Most Types of Cancer". The Latest News. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  6. Best, Myron G.; et al. (9 November 2015). "RNA-Seq of Tumor-Educated Platelets Enables Blood-Based Pan-Cancer, Multiclass, and Molecular Pathway Cancer Diagnostics". Cancer Cell. 28 (5): 666–676. doi:10.1016/j.ccell.2015.09.018. PMC 4644263. PMID 26525104.
  7. "First MRIdian System Installed in Europe at VU University Medical Center of Amsterdam". ViewRay, Inc.
  8. Door Guido de Bruin (ANP). "Een dubbeltje voor het VU-busje". Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  9. "Cookiewall: Cookies op de Volkskrant - de Volkskrant". Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  10. "Alliantie AMC-VUmc". Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  11. "Toppositie voor wetenschappelijk onderzoek VUmc - MedicalFacts.nl". 10 November 2011.
  12. "VUmc School of Medical Sciences". www.med.vu.nl.
  13. Wiepjes CM, Nota NM, de Blok CJ, Klaver M, de Vries AL, Wensing-Kruger SA, de Jongh RT, Bouman MB, Steensma TD, Cohen-Kettenis P, Gooren LJ, Kreukels BP, den Heijer M (April 2018). "The Amsterdam Cohort of Gender Dysphoria Study (1972-2015): Trends in Prevalence, Treatment, and Regrets". J Sex Med. 15 (4): 582–590. doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2018.01.016. PMID 29463477.
  14. Een Halve Eeuw Transgenderzorg aan de VU [Half a Century of Transgender Care at the VU] (in Dutch). Amsterdam, Netherlands: Boom Uitgevers Amsterdam. 2020. ISBN 9789024437306. OCLC 1231709484.
  15. "Vanavond 20.30 uur eerste uitzending realityserie '24 Uur: Tussen Leven en Dood'". RTL.NL. Archived from the original on 4 June 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  16. "VUmc vraagt Eyeworks en RTL Nederland af te zien van verdere uitzending - VUmc" (in Dutch). blikopnieuws.nl. 2012-02-24. Retrieved 2015-09-27.
  17. "VUmc: patiƫnten stappen naar de rechter - Nieuwsuur.nl" [VUmc: patients go to court - Nieuwsuur.nl]. Archived from the original on April 29, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
  18. "Patiënten doen aangifte tegen VUmc en Eyeworks". NU. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  19. "VUmc en Eyeworks schikken zaak met OM rond tv-programma". nrc.nl. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
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