At Medisch Consult, we help you to (continue to) work healthily, vitally, and with pleasure.
Focus on your well-being and happiness
Our team
Medisch Consult has a multidisciplinary team of professionals with extensive experience in healthcare.
Our locations
The staff of Medisch Consult hold consultation hours at various locations.
What does occupational health service Medisch Consult do?
Medisch Consult is the occupational health service (arbodienst) of the organization where you work. An occupational health service supports organizations and employees in promoting health and employability in the workplace. We ensure a safe and healthy working environment, help prevent absenteeism, and help you make the most of your talents and potential.
Should you become ill, we will guide you in finding the best solution for a sustainable recovery. Together with our absenteeism consultants, occupational physicians, reintegration experts, coaches, and trainers, we work on improving both you and the organization where you work.
Consultation hour procedure
You have been invited to a consultation hour. Below you will find information about what to expect, your rights and obligations, how we handle your data, and how you can change an appointment.
During the consultation hour, the (occupational) physician or delegated professional assesses whether your complaints are work-related and whether you can work (with adjustments). If the absence lasts longer, follow-up actions are planned, such as a consultation with an occupational social worker or a labor expert.
Please bring to the consultation hour:
- A valid form of identification (passport, ID card, or driver’s license)
- If applicable, an appointment card from your practitioner and/or a list of medications
Do you wish to cancel or reschedule an appointment? This can only be done through your employer. If you report this less than 48 hours in advance, Medisch Consult will charge a fee.
The (occupational) physician works together with other professionals, such as the reintegration expert, the occupational health nurse, and the recovery consultant. These professionals share findings with the (occupational) physician and can seek additional advice.
The (occupational) physician works together with other professionals, such as the reintegration expert, the occupational health nurse, and the recovery consultant. These professionals share findings with the (occupational) physician and can seek additional advice.
As an employee, you have the right to an appointment with the occupational health service, even if you have not reported sick. This can be requested through your employer, or you can request a consultation hour yourself. If you request a consultation hour yourself, it will take place anonymously unless you give permission to share information with your employer.
For non-work-related complaints, please consult your GP or specialist.
Your data will be treated with strict confidentiality. Only necessary information, such as your fitness for work and recovery expectations, will be communicated to your employer. Please see our privacy policy here.
Dissatisfied with our services? Please file a complaint so that we can improve our service. More information can be found in the [complaints procedure].
News & Inspiration
A recent advisory report from the Council for Public Health & Society (RVS) shows that we live in a “hyper-nervous society,” in which performance pressure, acceleration, and individualism have gone…
TNO News, theme: Work and health June 3, 2025. The general health of workers is slightly declining and (work-related) absenteeism is rising. Psychosocial working conditions, such as work pressure and…
Frequently asked questions
Burnout: what is it and how do you recover from it?
Burnout summarized: burnout is total exhaustion caused by long-term stress. Burnout complaints and symptoms include extreme fatigue and intense emotional reactions. Recovery from burnout is different for everyone, but can take six months to a year and a half. If you have a burnout, it is advisable to visit your GP. To prevent burnout, it is essential to recognize signals and intervene in time.
Burnout in brief:
- Meaning and causes: Burnout is total exhaustion due to long-term stress, often caused by both work and private circumstances and certain character traits such as perfectionism and a sense of responsibility.
- Complaints and symptoms: In the early stages, symptoms include physical fatigue, headaches, irritability, and sleep problems. In the burnout phase itself, extreme fatigue and intense emotional reactions such as anxiety and panic are characteristic.
- Approach to burnout: It is very important to take rest, report sick at work, and contact your GP for the right support and guidance toward recovery.
- Recovery process: Recovery can take six months to a year and a half and consists of three phases: the crisis phase, the problem and solution phase, and the application phase, during which you learn to apply solutions in your daily life and work.
- Prevention: Burnout prevention requires recognizing stress signals and intervening immediately. Take care of yourself by eating healthily, getting enough exercise, taking sufficient rest, and bringing structure to your day.
- Setting boundaries: Learn to guard your boundaries and evaluate behavioral patterns, and be open to help from others who can point out your limits and offer support.
What is a burnout and how does it develop?
Burnout is total exhaustion as a result of long-term stress. While it is generally possible to recover quickly from stress, this no longer works with burnout. You have passed a tipping point after which recovery requires much more time and support. Many people experience an intense feeling of fatigue and panic during a burnout. For example, due to an event that was the proverbial final straw. Although that moment sometimes occurs suddenly, a burnout has a long lead-up. If you suffer from stress for a long time, your stress system becomes ‘overtrained’. Your mind and body are then no longer able to recover in the meantime.
Long-term stress can arise from working conditions, private circumstances, and character traits. Working conditions are often blamed, but they are usually not the sole cause. However, declining performance is often first and most visible at work. Private circumstances can contribute to stress, for example, through informal care, the loss of a loved one, moving house, or financial problems. People with certain character traits are more sensitive to stress and burnout, such as loyalty, perfectionism, a need for control, not giving up easily, or a great sense of responsibility.
Burnout complaints and symptoms
A burnout develops in phases with various complaints and symptoms. In the first 4 phases, there is increasing stress and its associated complaints. This progresses gradually from mild stress to being overworked. The complaints you may experience increase as the stress becomes more severe or prolonged. Examples of complaints in the first 4 phases include:
- Physical fatigue
- Headaches, back pain, and stomach and intestinal complaints
- Feeling irritable
- Difficulty planning, forgetfulness, or chaos
- Frequent and prolonged worrying
- Sleep problems
Phase 5 is the burnout phase. You are physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted and experience severe complaints such as extreme fatigue and intense emotional reactions such as anxiety, panic, or sadness. Enjoyable activities feel like a major task rather than a pleasure. You may also begin to feel emotionless. Often, you will need help with recovery.
How to reintegrate at work after illness
Are you curious about how to return to work smoothly after a long period of absence due to, for example, illness or an accident? With the steps below, you will discover how to reintegrate at work and what help is available to you.
Reintegration in brief:
- Reintegration process: after a long-term absence due to, for example, illness or burnout, you as an employee return to your work step by step. You make agreements about your tasks and the number of hours.
- First-track process: this means you remain within the same organization, possibly in a different role.
- Second-track process: if you cannot find a suitable position internally, you will look for work at another company.
- Support during reintegration: retraining, workplace adjustments, and advice can offer help during reintegration.
- The Gatekeeper Improvement Act: this contains rules that you and employers must adhere to if you are ill for a long period. You follow the steps of this act during the first two years of illness.
- Reintegration build-up schedule: with a step-by-step plan in which you slowly take on more hours and tasks, you ensure that you do not do too much too quickly and become overloaded (again).
What does reintegrating at work involve?
Reintegrating at work means that you return to work after a period of absence of 8 weeks or longer, such as due to illness or an accident. The goal is to return to your old routine step by step in a way that suits you. As soon as things improve, you and your employer make agreements about your reintegration process: which tasks you will resume and whether you will start with fewer hours, which you will gradually expand.
First-track process
Together, you ensure that you can get back to work quickly, healthily, and pleasantly in your old position, or in another position within the company. This is called the first-track process.
Second-track process
If it is not possible to get back to work within the company, you should look for a suitable job at another organization. You can also reintegrate through secondment or by starting your own business. These other options are called the second-track process. If you are offered suitable work during the reintegration process, you are required to accept it.
Help and possibilities during reintegration
During reintegration, there are various options that help to get you back to work. For example, retraining or reimbursements for adjustments or facilities. You can also receive advice in the event of, for example, a conflict with your employer.
Receiving advice
Has something happened that you don’t know how to handle? For example, you disagree with the Action Plan your employer has drawn up, or you do not consider the suitable work offered by your employer to be appropriate. In the event of a conflict, always ask for advice. This can be done through the confidential counselor at your workplace, the trade union, or the UWV for an expert opinion.
Do you need extra help finding adjusted work? Then you may enlist the help of the occupational health service or occupational physician.
Retraining
Sometimes retraining is necessary to make work suitable. You discuss with your employer what kind of retraining is needed and who will pay the costs.
Reimbursements
Do you need something like an adapted toilet or a stairlift to perform your work again? Your employer can receive a subsidy through the UWV to adapt a workplace.
Do you need a facility such as transport or personal assistance like a reintegration coach? You can apply for this yourself at the UWV.
Not happy with your supervisor?
Problems with your manager can make work quite difficult. We help you toward a solution in seven steps, so that you will soon be heading to work with a smile again.
Difficult character or… is there more to it?
It is possible, of course, that your boss simply has a difficult character. There is little you can do about that. But often there is more to it. He or she may want to involve you more in decisions but does not yet see you as someone who can contribute. Or: your boss doesn’t want to come with deadlines at the last minute but has a boss who does the same. These are problems that you can solve.
- Make a list
Start by taking stock. Keep a list for a week of what you encounter at work. This gives you a better idea of the problem and the possible causes. For example: your team leader does not support you when customers express dissatisfaction. Or: you worked your socks off for a deadline and you hear nothing at all from your boss.
- Take responsibility
This is often hard to swallow, but even if you strongly feel the problem lies with your supervisor, you also have a part in it. And that part is what you can best influence.
Does your team leader even know that it bothered you when that customer complained to you like that? Or: does your boss perhaps think that something is structurally wrong in the customer contact?
Does your boss know that you slaved away until the evening hours for that deadline? Or: was it necessary for you to do this alone? It could also be that you are someone who assumes you have to do everything.
- Make a plan
This is the step that turns a difficult situation into an opportunity to grow. Your manager already has enough problems presented to them in a day. You are going to do it differently. You don’t just say what the problem is; you also come up with proposals for a solution.
Show that you understand what goals your manager wants to achieve (for example: higher production, more turnover, better care for patients). Think about how the solutions to your problem also solve your manager’s problem.
- Schedule an appointment
Don’t make it too heavy when scheduling an appointment. Tell your supervisor that you would like feedback and advice on a subject you are struggling with. Don’t wait for them to suggest a date. Provide three options yourself for times when you suspect you both have time.
- Tell, ask, and listen
During the conversation itself, the trick is not to come with accusations. So not: ‘You always come too late with briefings and that’s why I’m unhappy at work’.
But rather: ‘Last week I had a day and a half to finish that assignment. I could have delivered better work if I had received the briefing earlier. This happens more often, and therefore we miss opportunities to deliver truly good work. How do you see this?’
- Think of solutions together
Show that you have thought about possible solutions. Such as: ‘The Product Management department sends us the briefings. They hold weekly meetings. If we could receive the minutes of those meetings, we would see sooner what kind of briefings to expect from them. Then we can prepare for them.’
Also be open to your manager’s ideas. If these ideas don’t seem good enough, don’t dig your heels in. Make suggestions to make them more effective.
- Make SMART agreements – and follow up on them
This is where half-hearted actions are distinguished from solid steps in the right direction. Make concrete agreements – use the SMART method. Then regularly revisit the plans with your manager. For example, schedule a monthly coffee appointment. Stay focused on the approach: achieving the same goal together.
Simple!
Suddenly sounds quite simple, doesn’t it? In practice, it is of course still exciting to ask your supervisor to think about this together. But once you take action, you will notice that it is not nearly as difficult as you think beforehand.
Tip: visualization works
Visualization is a proven effective means of motivating yourself to realize your goal. And that goal is – come, visualize with me for a moment – a job where you do what you are good at. A manager who gives you appreciation and who inspires you to keep growing.
Visualize as specifically as possible. Imagine the relief after you have taken your feelings seriously enough to take action. See yourself going to work cheerfully again and receiving positive reactions from your environment: customers, colleagues, and your boss.
A mentor for your career development: useful or not?
It can sometimes be a challenge to map out your career path or make certain choices about your career. A mentor can help you on your way.
What is a mentor? You might remember that word from secondary school. A mentor in your professional life is a person with a lot of experience in your industry or field. A mentor not only shares his or her knowledge, insights, and experiences but also helps you find your path by being involved in making essential choices.
The power of a mentor
That all sounds a bit abstract. To make the value of a mentor more concrete, below are four elements that make a mentor an interesting resource.
- Knowledge transfer
One of the most important benefits of a mentor is that he or she can share knowledge with you. Mentors often have years of experience and have been through the ups and downs. They possess knowledge and insights that you cannot always learn from books or courses. By having regular contact with a mentor, you can therefore benefit from their knowledge. You can learn from their mistakes, and you get valuable tips and strategies that you can apply in your own career path.
- Networking opportunities
A mentor also acts as a bridge to important contacts. He or she has often built up an extensive professional network. As a result, your mentor can introduce you to people who are relevant to you.
- Personal growth and self-confidence
A good mentor offers guidance and advice when making difficult decisions and helps you overcome mental obstacles. This also helps you grow mentally.
- Career orientation and goal orientation
When mapping out your career path, it can sometimes be difficult to determine the right direction. A mentor can act as a compass, someone who helps you identify your goals and draw up an action plan.
How do you find the right mentor?
Finding a career mentor can sometimes be a challenge, but fortunately, there are several ways to do this. Below are some suggestions to help you find a suitable mentor.
- Networking within your field. Make use of professional networks, industry events, and conferences to get in touch with experienced professionals. This offers the opportunity to meet potential mentors and build a bond with them.
- Ask for recommendations. Speak with colleagues or other professionals you respect and ask them if they know someone who would be suitable as a mentor.
- Make use of online platforms aimed at mentor programs or professional networks, such as LinkedIn. These platforms often offer the possibility to find mentors based on your areas of interest, skills, and career goals.
- Do you want to develop within your current environment?Some employers offer mentor programs for their employees. Inquire with your HR department whether there are opportunities to participate in such a program.
- Become a member of professional organizations and associations in your field. These organizations often offer mentor programs or have resources to help you find a mentor.
- Once you have found a suitable mentor, contact them and explain why you are interested in guidance and what you hope to achieve. It is essential to find a good match and choose a mentor who aligns with your needs, goals, and values.
Furthermore, remember that building a mentor relationship is a mutual affair, so do not expect a mentor to solve all your problems for you. You are in the driver’s seat, and the mentor gives you valuable instructions from the passenger seat to reach your goal.
