VECOZO (short for Veilige Communicatie in de Zorg, "secure communication in healthcare") is the Dutch platform that healthcare providers and health insurers use to exchange administrative information. It was set up by the Dutch health insurers. Through VECOZO, providers such as GPs, physiotherapists and hospitals submit their claims, check a patient's insurance and request authorisations. VECOZO is about the business between provider and insurer. It is not used to exchange medical records between providers.
What does VECOZO do?
- Claims: providers submit their claims to the insurer, in the Vektis claim standards. The insurer sends back return information with what was approved or rejected, and why.
- Insurance check (COV): with the COV check (Controle op Verzekeringsgegevens), a provider looks up with which insurer a patient is insured, under which policy, before treatment or before claiming.
- Authorisations and requests: for care that needs the insurer's approval first, providers can submit and track requests.
- Secure access: users and systems log in with VECOZO certificates or other approved login methods, so the insurer knows exactly which provider is sending what.
How does software connect to VECOZO?
Staff can work in the VECOZO portal by hand, but most practice and hospital systems connect directly to VECOZO's web services. The system then runs the COV check when a patient is registered, sends claims in bulk and imports the return information automatically. Building such a connection means: producing claim files that meet the current Vektis standard, handling certificates securely, processing rejection codes so staff can correct claims, and testing in VECOZO's test environment before going live.
Medical information follows other routes. Referrals usually go through ZorgDomein, and patients collect their own data via MedMij. Exchanges between providers often use FHIR-based standards. See our HL7 and FHIR integrations and healthcare reporting and compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions about VECOZO
Who uses VECOZO?
Dutch healthcare providers that claim from health insurers, the insurers themselves, and the software suppliers whose systems connect on behalf of providers.
Can I exchange patient records with another provider through VECOZO?
No. VECOZO handles the administrative traffic between providers and insurers, such as claims, insurance checks and authorisations. Medical data between providers goes through other networks and standards.
What is the COV check?
Controle op Verzekeringsgegevens: a lookup that shows with which insurer, and under which policy, a patient is insured on a given date. Most practice software runs it automatically.
What are the Vektis standards?
Vektis manages the standard formats for claims and return information in Dutch healthcare. Software that submits claims through VECOZO has to follow the current version for its type of care.