Jako Burgers, M.D., Ph.D., a 2008–09 Harkness Fellow, is a general practitioner and senior consultant at the Dutch College of General Practitioners (NHG). He is also a Professor in Promoting Personalized Care in Clinical Practice Guidelines at Maastricht University. Previously Burgers was a senior researcher at IQ healthcare, based at the Medical Centre of Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands. In the 1990s he coauthored several guidelines produced by the Dutch College of General Practitioners. His thesis, “Quality of Clinical Practice Guidelines,” was honored with the CaRe Award 2002 of the Netherlands School of Primary Care Research. In the 2000s Burgers became a leader in guideline methodology, with a focus on primary care and care coordination.
Harkness Project Title: Addressing Multi-morbidity in Health Care Quality Improvement
Mentors: Eric C. Schneider, M.D., and Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D.
Placement: Harvard School of Public Health
Biography at time of Harkness Fellowship: Jako Burgers, M.D., Ph.D., a 2008–09 Commonwealth Fund Harkness Fellow in Health Care Policy and Practice, is a practicing physician and senior researcher at the IQ healthcare, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, where his research interests focus on the development and dissemination of clinical practice guidelines to improve quality of patient care. He is also Senior Consultant at the Dutch Institute for Healthcare Improvement CBO, and is Chair and founding member of the Guidelines International Network (G-I-N), an organization that works toward the development, adaptation and implementation of clinical practice guidelines and has a membership of 84 organizations from 37 countries. Previous positions include staff member at the Dutch College of General Practitioners and assistant reader at Free University Amsterdam. Burgers has authored over 30 peer-reviewed journal articles on guidelines development and effectiveness in clinical practice, with publications in the Netherlands Journal of Medicine, Lancet, International Journal of Quality in Health Care, and the British Journal of General Practice. He holds a medical degree from the Free University Amsterdam and a Ph.D. from the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, where his dissertation, "Quality of Clinical Practice Guidelines," received the CARE award in 2002.
Project: Jako Burgers focused on the quality and coordination of care for patients with multiple conditions. He conducted a secondary analysis of 2008 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey of Sicker Adults on whether patient-reported experiences of care coordination differ based on the number and type of patients’ chronic conditions. He also examined the extent to which clinical practice guidelines for prevalent chronic conditions address co-morbidities.
Career Activity Since Fellowship
- Senior Consultant, Dutch College of General Practitioners (NHG), 2018–
- Professor in Promoting Personalized Care in Clinical Practice Guidelines, Maastricht University, 2016–
- Head, Department of Guideline Development and Research, Dutch College of General Practitioners (NHG), 2012–2017
- Senior Researcher, IQ Healthcare, 2007–2011
Current Positions (updated 4/2023)
- Senior Consultant, Dutch College of General Practitioners
- Professor in Promoting Personalized Care in Clinical Practice Guidelines, Maastricht University
E-mail: [email protected]
Selected Publications
Lugtenberg M, Burgers JS, Han D, Westert GP. “General practitioners' preferences for interventions to improve guideline adherence,” J Eval Clin Pract. 2014.
Gauld R, Burgers J, Dobrow M, Minhas R, Wendt C, Cohen A, Luxford K. “Healthcare System Performance Improvement: A Comparison of Key Policies in Seven High-Income Countries,” J Health Organ Manag. 2014.
Faber M, Voerman G, Erler A, Eriksson T, Baker R, Lepeleire J, Grol R, Burgers J. “Survey of 5 European countries suggests that more elements of patient-centered medical homes could improve primary care,” Health Affairs. 2013.
Gauld R, Burgers J, Dobrow M, Luxford K, Minhas R, Wendt C, Cohen AB. “Quality improvement, information technology and primary care can improve healthcare system performance. But are policy makers promoting them?” Int J Clin Pract. 2012.
Faber MJ, Burgers JS, Westert GP. “A sustainable primary care system: lessons from the Netherlands.” J Ambul Care Manage. 2012.
van der Weijden T, Boivin A, Burgers J, Schünemann HJ, Elwyn G. “Clinical practice guidelines and patient decision aids. An inevitable relationship.” J Clin Epidemiol. 2012.
Willcox S, Lewis G, Burgers J. “Strengthening primary care: recent reforms and achievements in Australia, England, and the Netherlands.” Issue Brief (Commonwealth Fund). 2011.
Gauld R, Blank R, Burgers J, Cohen AB, Dobrow M, Ikegami N, Kwon S, Luxford K, Millett C, Wendt C., “The World Health Report 2008: Primary Healthcare: How wide is the gap between its agenda and implementation in 12 High-Income Health Systems?” Healthcare Policy. 2012.
Boivin A, Lehoux P, Lacombe R, Lacasse A, Burgers J, Grol R. “Target for improvement: a cluster randomised trial of public involvement in quality-indicator prioritisation (intervention development and study protocol).” Implement Sci. 2011.
Willekens M, Giesen P, Plat E, Mokkink H, Burgers J, Grol R. “Quality of after-hours primary care in The Netherlands: adherence to national guidelines.” BMJ Qual Saf. 2011.
Burgers JS, Voerman GE, Grol R, Faber MJ, Schneider EC. “Quality and Coordination of Care for Patients with Multiple Conditions: Results from an International Survey of Patient Experience.” Evaluation & the Health Professions. 2010.
Singer SJ, Burgers J, Friedberg M, Rosenthal MB, Leape L, Schneider E. “Defining and Measuring Integrated Patient Care: Promoting the Next Frontier in Health Care Delivery.” Med Care Res Rev. 2010.
Westert GP, Burgers JS, Verkleij H. “The Netherlands’ new health care system; regulated competition behind the dikes?” British Medical Journal. 2009.
