VU University Medical Center

History

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. 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.

• Neurosurgery
• Cardiothoracic surgery
• Neonatal and pediatric surgery and intensive care
• Pediatric oncology
• Sex reassignment surgery

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. 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. 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.

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 the first episode the show was cancelled at the request of the VUmc.

Initially, three patients brought charges 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.

References

References

1. (2001-01-01). "Dedicated care". VUmc.
2. "Het beste academische ziekenhuis van Nederland - Wegwijs".
3. "Nieuws, achtergronden en opinie - Elsevier.nl". Elsevier.
4. "De Nederlandse universitair medische centra". Nfu.nl.
5. Simons, Warren. (30 October 2015). "Single Drop Of Blood Will Soon Be Enough To Diagnose Most Types of Cancer". [[Het Laatste Nieuws.
6. Best, Myron G.. (9 November 2015). "RNA-Seq of Tumor-Educated Platelets Enables Blood-Based Pan-Cancer, Multiclass, and Molecular Pathway Cancer Diagnostics". [[Cancer Cell (journal).
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".
9. "Cookiewall: Cookies op de Volkskrant - de Volkskrant".
10. "Alliantie AMC-VUmc".
11. (10 November 2011). "Toppositie voor wetenschappelijk onderzoek VUmc - MedicalFacts.nl".
12. "VUmc School of Medical Sciences".
13. (April 2018). "The Amsterdam Cohort of Gender Dysphoria Study (1972-2015): Trends in Prevalence, Treatment, and Regrets". J Sex Med.
14. (2020). "Een Halve Eeuw Transgenderzorg aan de VU". Boom Uitgevers Amsterdam.
15. "Vanavond 20.30 uur eerste uitzending realityserie '24 Uur: Tussen Leven en Dood'". RTL.NL.
16. (2012-02-24). "VUmc vraagt Eyeworks en RTL Nederland af te zien van verdere uitzending - VUmc". blikopnieuws.nl.
17. "VUmc: patiƫnten stappen naar de rechter - Nieuwsuur.nl".
18. "Patiënten doen aangifte tegen VUmc en Eyeworks". NU.
19. "VUmc en Eyeworks schikken zaak met OM rond tv-programma". nrc.nl.