Genk has a robust care economy which accounts for over 6,000 jobs
Important players here are the Portavida well-being campus and the East-Limburg Hospital, which provide a whole range of specialized services. In 2014 the LiZA campus was built opposite the hospital, housing a college specializing in health care run by UCLouvain, thereby providing a link between education and practice.
SYNAPS PARK
A veritable ‘health care city’, Synaps Park provides scope for innovation in the care sector through start-ups and by attracting companies to the campus. It currently houses the main campus of the East-Limburg Hospital (ZOL), the Limburg Health Care Academy (Limburgse Zorgacademie, LiZa), the Wombat day care centre and the Children’s Psychiatric Centre (Kinderpsychiatrisch Centrum, KPC).
EAST-LIMBURG HOSPITAL (ZOL)
The East-Limburg Hospital is the largest non-university hospital in Belgium, with almost 3,000 employees, 300 physicians and 811 beds. It has three campuses: Campus Sint-Jan is located in Genk and is part of Synaps Park. As well as serving the region, the ZOL also provides a number of specialist services in a Euroregional context (including MIC, NIC, heart surgery, neurosurgery, lithotripsy, fertility centre and radiotherapy).
LIMBURG HEALTH CARE ACADEMY (LiZA)
The Limburg Health Care Academy (Limburgse Zorgacademie, LiZA for short) is located next to ZOL’s main campus, thereby providing a strong link between daily medical practice and education. LiZa runs a range of courses designed for assisted living centres and psychiatric institutions. Specific examples of collaboration and achievements are a Simulation and Skills Centre, honed procedures for nurses, the introduction of new forms of learning such as e-learning and an investigation into alternative forms of work placement.
CHILDREN’S PSYCHIATRIC CENTRE
The Children’s Psychiatric Centre (Kinderpsychiatrisch Centrum or KPC) specializes in children and young people with a (suspected) psychiatric problem, toddlers whose development is a cause for concern, their parents and other interested parties.