A H4i Qualified Practice meets the criteria set forward 
by Healthcare for internationals (H4i) for better meeting the needs and expectations of internationals:
- Professionals at this practice take the time to get acquainted with their international patients and help them find their way in Dutch healthcare
- Professionals of this practice completed a special training program.
- Professionals of this practice are proficient in English.
- Information provided by this practice is made available in English.
- This practice welcomes suggestions and feedback from its international patients.
- This practice participates every 2 years in a H4i survey amongst international patients and uses its results to further improve its services.
Further information
The H4i Qualification is awarded by H4i to a practice based on:
- Reports by the practice about the completion of specific actions by the practice and its professionals to meet the criteria set forward by H4i.
- Checks by H4i of the results of specific actions by the practices to meet the criteria set forward by H4i.
- Obligation of this practice to meet the criteria set forward by H4i, as follows from the agreement between H4i and this practice or its representative organization.
The H4i training program is executed by KIT (Royal Tropical Institute) Health & Intercultural Professionals and covers differences in (health) cultures, epidemiology and how to effectively communicate with and understand people with an international background.
The H4i Qualification obliges the practice to invite its international patients to participate in a survey that H4i will organize every 2 years.
- This survey will be anonymous and conformant to applicable privacy laws and regulations.
- The practice will use the results of this survey as part of its PDCA-process (Plan-Do-Check-Act) to improve is services.
- The practice will communicate to its patients the summary of such surveys and of other feedback and suggestions it may receive, and share how it plans to improve its services as a result.
- Budgetary restrictions, medical guidelines or practical feasibility may limit the practice in implementing some desired changes that follow from a survey, feedback or suggestion.
The practice will make an effort to have its professionals sufficiently qualified to meet the commitments as reflected in the H4i Qualification. The practice nor H4i can warrant that all professionals working at a given time at the practice will meet all the qualifications set forward by H4i.
The practice endeavors to have all information relevant to its patients available in English, but cannot guarantee that this will always be feasible. H4i and the practice acknowledge that English is not the first language of many internationals and that some internationals only have very limited command of that language. The practice will accommodate these internationals e.g. by taking enough time for consultation, by using the services of an interpreter or suggesting that these internationals bring a friend or family member to translate.
The practice nor H4i can be held liable for a Qualified Practice not meeting the criteria set forward by H4i. The Qualification of a practice that repeatedly and persistently does not meet the criteria and does not take appropriate action to amend these defects, will be revoked, however.
The H4i Qualification does not pertain to the medical quality of care provided by this practice nor to its adherence to laws, guidelines and obligations as determined by government, governmental organizations and health insurance companies.
H4i aims to have Dutch healthcare better meet the needs and expectations of internationals. H4i strives to improve the level of trust and satisfaction internationals experience in Dutch healthcare. The H4i Qualification is an instrument in achieving this by setting criteria and guidelines for healthcare practices and communicating to internationals which practices meet the criteria of this Qualification. H4i nor a H4i Qualified practice can guarantee, however, that meeting the criteria of the Qualification will always and in all cases result in trust and satisfaction.