Safer and more collaborative care
Making a difference, one step at a time
For over 20 years, Marije ter Beek has been working in the healthcare sector: “I started my career at the reception of an elderly care organisation, quickly moving up to executive secretary.” a formative experience, marked by the organisation’s bankruptcy and the supervision of several facilities, which led her to drive a decisive improvement plan.
Today, as Team Lead for Quality and Safety at TopMondzorg, she works to ensure safe, high-quality dental care for over 1.2 million patients. At the Shared Service Center, 70% of employees are women, creating an environment that fosters diversity and knowledge-sharing. Her approach is based on a key principle: continuous learning to better support professionals and improve practices.
Marije, expertise dedicated to quality care
After more than 15 years in long-term care, Marije ter Beek now holds the position of Team Lead for Quality and Safety within TopMondzorg’s shared service centre: “offering high-quality dental care in a safe environment is our goal.” To achieve this, she relies on a comprehensive approach based on continuous learning and practice improvement, combining adherence to regulations, professional standards, and structured quality processes.
As a major player in the Netherlands, TopMondzorg cares for over 1.2 million patients and covers a wide range of disciplines. This diversity fuels a dynamic quality system, built on training, audits, case exchanges, and sharing expertise, all in the service of continuous innovation.
Working hand in hand
What matters most to Marije in her work is being able to support professionals so they can do their job under the best conditions, while respecting the rules: “we have a motto that really speaks to me: we may not be able to make things more pleasant, but we can make them simpler”, she says.
For her, this approach allows her to work hand in hand with her team and contribute, day after day, to providing the best possible care. It is this balance between rigor and closeness that makes her work so motivating and rewarding.
When small projects make a big difference
One of Marije’s greatest sources of pride are the projects started from scratch, or those that few people thought possible: “carrying them out with a small team takes a lot of energy, but it’s also incredibly rewarding”, she explains.
One project in particular remains memorable: “ban de band”, launched in a care organisation for people with disabilities where she worked as a policy adviser. The aim was to gradually remove restraint straps used on agitated patients: “at first, our proposal was very badly received”, she recalls, “but a few years later, it had become unthinkable to use them.”
For Marije, this project was a real learning experience: a clear example of patience, perseverance, and gradual change that can transform patients’ daily lives: “it’s initiatives like this that remind me why I love this job: even small changes can have a lasting and positive impact on other people’s lives”, she adds.
Balancing career and everyday life
Being a woman in this sector often means paying attention to others, showing empathy and listening, qualities that really make a difference in care: “at the same time, we can sometimes be too modest, doubt our abilities, or face the challenge of balancing career and family responsibilities”, she tells us. Marije notes that she has always been lucky to work in environments where strong women held influential positions: “it has inspired me a lot and helped me progress in my career”, she says.
Finding the right balance between career and family life is, as for many, one of the main challenges for Marije. She also keeps this balance in mind for the future, particularly with responsibilities towards her loved ones, and she can rely on a supportive partner, which helps her continue to move forward calmly.
A message for all women
For Marije, women play a crucial role in healthcare and are increasingly asserting themselves across all areas. She encourages young women to stay curious and persistent, and never underestimate their abilities.
« you can truly make a difference through your empathy, your clarity, and your confidence, even if it means going against the tide », she concludes.
A message for all women
For Marije, women play a crucial role in healthcare and are increasingly asserting themselves across all areas. She encourages young women to stay curious and persistent, and never underestimate their abilities: “you can truly make a difference through your empathy, your clarity, and your confidence, even if it means going against the tide”, she concludes.