What is HKZ certification?
HKZ is the Dutch quality mark for care and welfare. With an HKZ certificate, you prove that an independent party has assessed your quality against a recognised care-specific scheme. The standards are managed by NEN and are built on the international standard ISO 9001. HKZ adds care-specific requirements on top, such as client safety and record keeping. See right away which scheme fits your organisation.
HKZ stands for Harmonisatie Kwaliteitsbeoordeling in de Zorgsector (Harmonised Quality Assessment in the Care Sector). The mark shows care purchasers, municipalities and clients that your client process, safety and organisation are in order. Want to know whether HKZ is right for you? Then read who HKZ is intended for.
An HKZ certificate always applies to a specific sector scheme, for example HKZ Gehandicaptenzorg (disability care) or HKZ Kleine Organisaties (small organisations). The first step is therefore choosing which scheme belongs to your sector.
HKZ at a glance
| Full name | Harmonisatie Kwaliteitsbeoordeling in de Zorgsector (Harmonised Quality Assessment in the Care Sector) |
| Manager | NEN (Central College of Experts Care & Welfare) |
| Based on | ISO 9001:2015, plus care-specific requirements |
| Number of schemes | Over 30, by sector |
| For whom? | Care and welfare organisations and self-employed care workers (zzp’ers) |
| Mandatory? | Not by law, but often a purchasing requirement |
| Validity | 3 years, with an annual surveillance audit |
| Costs | ”Indication: €2,000 - €15,000+, depending on size” |
| Lead time | 4-9 months |
Why choose HKZ?
There are three main reasons why care organisations choose HKZ.
1. Care purchasers and municipalities ask for it
When buying care, care purchasers, health insurers and municipalities often ask for a quality mark. HKZ is a well-known and accepted choice for this. For self-employed care workers , an HKZ certificate is sometimes needed to get a contract or an AGB code (the Dutch care provider code).
A new home care organisation that wants to take part in Wlz (Long-term Care Act) procurement quickly finds out this matters. Without a recognised quality mark, you do not get through the selection.
2. You want to improve care in a measurable way
HKZ pushes you to sharpen your client process. How does intake work? Who guards safety? What do you do after an incident? By recording and measuring this, you see where things can improve. Read more about the requirements of the standard.
3. You stand out with a recognised quality mark
The HKZ mark shows clients and partners that an independent party has checked your quality. That check is carried out by accredited certification bodies, supervised by the Dutch Accreditation Council (Raad voor Accreditatie) .
How does HKZ relate to ISO 9001?
HKZ is not a separate standard alongside ISO 9001. The HKZ schemes take over the ISO 9001 requirements in full and add a care-specific layer on top. If you achieve HKZ, you also meet ISO 9001 at its core.
The difference lies in depth. ISO 9001 fits every sector. HKZ focuses fully on care and welfare, with requirements on client safety, record keeping and medication safety. Read the full comparison on HKZ vs ISO 9001.
HKZ is a Dutch quality mark, not an international ISO standard, and it is not a legal requirement. Do you work internationally? Then ISO 9001 for care institutions or the European care standard NEN-EN 15224 may fit better.
What does HKZ certification cost?
The costs depend on your size and the scheme you choose. For small organisations there is HKZ Kleine Organisaties (maximum 10 FTE).
| Organisation size | Indicative total cost, first year |
|---|---|
| Self-employed / very small | €2,000 - €5,000 |
| Small (up to 50) | €4,000 - €9,000 |
| Medium (50-250) | €9,000 - €18,000 |
| Large (250+) | €18,000+ |
These are indications, including support and the certification audit. The full overview is on costs and timeline.
How do you get an HKZ certificate?
The process resembles that of ISO 9001. First you map what you already have, you describe your processes, you test your own system, and then the external auditor comes in. The full step-by-step plan is on the step-by-step page. Read separately what to expect during the audit process.
Do you work with patient data? Then HKZ does not cover information security. For that there is NEN 7510. Read how to combine both on HKZ and NEN 7510.
Important links
Sources
- NEN - HKZ Care & Welfare
- HKZ.nl - Overview of HKZ standards
- HKZ.nl - Certification bodies
- ISO.org - ISO 9001 standard