Webcamconsult expands its collaboration with Spanish hospital group HCB Hospitales following a successful pilot project

The Dutch e-health platform Webcamconsult is expanding its collaboration with HCB Hospitales. Following a successful pilot project, more physicians within HCB will start working with the digital consultation platform, with broader use of online consultations and post-operative follow-up. This expansion comes at a time when hybrid healthcare is rapidly gaining ground and international patients increasingly combine in-person care with online support.

International care with digital support

HCB Hospitales is a private healthcare institution with a large international patient base. Many patients come from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom, as well as from other countries.

In addition to Spanish staff, HCB has a Dutch team that supports patients during consultations, procedures and reconstructive treatments. Digital care plays a crucial role in this process. Pre-operative consultations, questions prior to surgery and post-operative follow-up are increasingly conducted via video consultation. This reduces the need for travel and makes care more accessible for patients who cannot always visit the clinic in person or for whom an appointment involves significant time or expense.

The consultations are integrated with the hospital’s internal systems, ensuring that physicians are fully informed during video consultations. At present, several plastic surgeons are using the platform, including doctors who work both at HCB and in other cities across Spain.

Reconstructive surgery and medical tourism

Part of the online care focuses on reconstructive procedures, including corrective surgery for women who have undergone female genital mutilation. Surgeon Refaat Karim explains:

“The goal is to restore function and sensitivity, and to relieve pain that may occur during sexual intercourse or as a result of recurrent infections. This specialised care attracts patients from all over the world and requires careful remote guidance. The initial consultation and follow-up take place online, while the treatment itself is carried out in Spain. Due to high costs and long travel times, it is not feasible for many patients to attend every appointment in person.”

Successful pilot project

Both HCB Hospitales and Webcamconsult consider the pilot project a success. Arthur Lievaert and Astrid ten Zeldam, involved in the implementation of digital care at HCB, state:

“For surgical procedures, digital follow-up has proven to be a valuable addition. Check-up appointments can be carried out more quickly, and patients do not always need to return to the clinic for a brief assessment. The handover function within the platform allows for rapid switching between physician and assistant, which is very convenient for both international patients and the care team itself.”

Hybrid care as the future

The expansion fits within a broader trend in healthcare, in which digital and in-person care are increasingly converging. Digital consultations provide patients with greater reassurance and clarity, while physicians experience more efficient appointments. A digital consultation eliminates waiting times at outpatient clinics and allows patients to make contact more quickly regarding a procedure or recovery. This is also reflected in a very recent study by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), which indicates that Spain has a growing need for integrated systems for medical consultations and remote monitoring in order to serve more patients.

Bert van Gerwen, co-founder of Webcamconsult, concludes:

“We see international healthcare changing rapidly. Patients want high-quality care, but they do not always want to travel for every question or follow-up. The HCB Hospitales team demonstrates how hybrid care works in practice. They adopt digital consultations in a way that makes care better, faster and more personal.”