On Tuesday, October 13th, the administrative boards of Citadelle and the Centre hospitalier Bois de l'Abbaye (CHBA) reviewed and approved a merger project. The goal is to create a strong and efficient public territorial hospital group capable of meeting future challenges and serving as a catalyst for increased cooperation among public hospitals in the Liège region.
This initiative was made possible through extensive preparatory work by medical teams, including the Medical Directorates, Medical Councils, and Heads of Departments from both institutions. "This is a jointly developed medical project, based on complementarities and a shared vision for the future of public healthcare in Liège," emphasize the Presidents and Vice-Presidents of the administrative boards.
Raphaël Dubois, Vice-President of the CHBA Administrative Board, stated: "By strengthening our collaborations, we aim to better organize care, achieve economies of scale where relevant, and consolidate our capacity to invest, recruit, and meet patient needs. The objective is to jointly build a strong and sustainable public hospital group for the benefit of patients and the Liège territory."
The next steps will involve balanced governance, financial transparency, consultation with social partners, and constant attention to territorial balance. Déborah Géradon, President of CHBA, confirms: "Our goal is to jointly build a stronger public hospital that offers quality care, remains close to citizens, and ensures a sustainable future for our activities and our teams."
This new public hospital entity will enhance the proximity and anchoring of the five hospital sites (Seraing, Citadelle, Waremme, Laveu, and Herstal), boost specialized services, and strengthen recruitment and investment capacity. Lucien Bodson, administrator at Citadelle hospital, specifies that this merger aims to "sustainably consolidate proximity care within each concerned living area" and to preserve "access to the most advanced expertise and equipment."
The initial effective mergers will involve services already collaborating closely, such as Digestive Surgery, Breast Clinic, Oncology, Clinical Biology, and Cardiology, while maintaining a priority on patient care and proximity.
Audun Brouns, Vice-President of the Citadelle Hospital Administrative Board, emphasizes the economic and territorial ambition: "Our ambition is clear: to create a true Liège public hospital giant, powerful, attractive, and capable of making a lasting impact on the Walloon healthcare landscape." The future Citadelle-CHBA group will employ over 5,300 staff and 800 doctors, totaling more than 1,300 beds.
This project is part of a broader initiative to strengthen cooperation among all public health stakeholders in Liège. Willy Demeyer, President of the Citadelle Hospital Administrative Board, comments: "This merger should trigger an even wider dynamic to develop the 'HUL' (Hôpitaux Universitaires Liégeois) group."
The ultimate goal remains to offer quality, specialized, and robust healthcare to the greatest number in the future, to face the many challenges ahead.
