Belgium Expands Telemedicine to Therapists and Midwives
Belgian Federal Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke announced on Friday that physiotherapists, speech therapists, and midwives will soon be permitted to conduct video consultations, significantly expanding the country’s telemedicine framework. The measure, set to take effect this summer, aims to improve healthcare accessibility and reduce missed appointments.
A Gradual Rollout with Clear Conditions
The expansion follows a phased schedule. According to VRT NWS, physiotherapists and midwives will be able to offer video consultations starting July 1, 2026, while speech therapists will follow on August 1, 2026.
Each profession will operate under specific conditions designed to ensure patient safety and continuity of care:
Physiotherapists may conduct full treatment sessions and shorter follow-up consultations via video, provided the patient has had at least one in-person visit first. A maximum of two consecutive video treatments is allowed, and patients retain the right to choose in-person care at any time.
Midwives will be able to offer prenatal preparation and postnatal care through video consultations from July. As with physiotherapists, the first consultation must be in-person, and remote sessions are limited to two consecutive appointments. Patients must actively opt in.
Speech therapists face slightly different rules, as La Libre Belgique reports. They may conduct up to ten consecutive video sessions, but the first session must be in-person. Importantly, video consultations are not permitted for patients under four years old, reflecting clinical concerns about remote assessment of young children.
A “Useful Addition to Care”
Minister Vandenbroucke described the initiative as “a useful addition to care” (“een nuttige aanvulling op de zorg”). Speaking via the Belga news agency, he explained the dual benefits: “For care providers, it leads to fewer no-shows. For patients, it leads to better follow-up. Care is not interrupted by busy schedules or difficult travel.”
Building on an Existing Framework
Video consultations are not new to Belgian healthcare. Medical doctors have operated under a formal telemedicine framework since the COVID-19 pandemic, when the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (RIZIV/INAMI) temporarily expanded video consultation possibilities to a wide range of healthcare professions. However, reimbursement for telephone consultations by doctors was discontinued at the beginning of 2025.
The new announcement formalizes and makes permanent what was previously a temporary pandemic-era measure for these three professions.
Broader Healthcare Context
The expansion comes amid a broader modernization of Belgium’s healthcare system. Minister Vandenbroucke has pursued increased investment — including €2.6 billion in additional funding announced in 2023 — alongside tariff reforms and digitalization efforts. The video consultation measure aligns with goals to improve accessibility for patients with mobility issues, busy schedules, or those living in remote areas.
Notably, the announcement follows the March 2025 decision by physiotherapists and midwives to rejoin the tariff agreement (conventie) with health insurance funds, after walking out in 2024 over reimbursement disputes. This rapprochement has created a more stable environment for policy innovation.
Implications and Outlook
For patients, the expansion means greater flexibility in accessing care without the need for travel, particularly beneficial for those with chronic conditions requiring frequent follow-up. For healthcare providers, reduced no-show rates and more efficient scheduling are expected benefits.
However, the government has positioned video consultations as a supplement to, not a replacement for, in-person care. The requirement for an initial physical visit and limits on consecutive remote sessions underscore this cautious approach.
As DH Net notes, questions remain about the reimbursement framework for these new video consultations — specifically whether they will be covered by health insurance at the same rate as in-person visits. The coming months will likely provide clarity on this and other operational details as the July 1 implementation date approaches.
With this move, Belgium continues its gradual but steady embrace of digital healthcare, balancing innovation with the safeguards that patients expect from their healthcare system.