Together, the 3 places in Drenthe listed here have about 237,431 inhabitants (municipal figures). For treatment, residents go to 2 out of twenty DATO-certified centres nationwide. Ziekenhuisgroep Twente, in Almelo and Hengelo, serves the majority of places in this province. Dutch basic insurance pays for weight loss surgery when there is a valid indication and a GP has referred you. What you pay yourself is just the €385 deductible that applies in 2026.
- Places this guide covers: 3
- Inhabitants (municipal level): about 237,431
- Which DATO centres serve these places: 2
- Frisius Medisch Centrum, the biggest centre serving these places by volume
- Rough indication, adults who have obesity: no more than about 37,000
Which DATO centres serve Drenthe?
Ziekenhuisgroep Twente
Ziekenhuisgroep Twente is located in Almelo and Hengelo and performed 477 primary procedures in 2024, number 10 of the twenty Dutch centres by volume. In this guide it is the centre for 2 places in Drenthe: Emmen, Hoogeveen. Whether this centre is covered in full depends on your insurer's contracts; check before your referral.
Frisius Medisch Centrum
Frisius Medisch Centrum is located in Leeuwarden and performed 670 primary procedures in 2024, number 6 of the twenty Dutch centres by volume. In this guide it is the centre for 1 place in Drenthe: Assen. Whether this centre is covered in full depends on your insurer's contracts; check before your referral.
| Centre | Location | Primary procedures 2024 | Places from Drenthe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ziekenhuisgroep Twente | Almelo and Hengelo | 477 | 2 |
| Frisius Medisch Centrum | Leeuwarden | 670 | 1 |
Places in Drenthe and their centre
In the table you see all places from Drenthe that this guide covers, showing the number of inhabitants per municipality and the centre where people are usually referred. For every place there is an in-depth page in Dutch.
| Place (Dutch page) | Inhabitants | Centre |
|---|---|---|
| Emmen | 109,881 | Ziekenhuisgroep Twente |
| Assen | 70,769 | Frisius Medisch Centrum |
| Hoogeveen | 56,781 | Ziekenhuisgroep Twente |
Drenthe place by place
Emmen has about 109,881 inhabitants at municipal level. Residents are usually referred to Ziekenhuisgroep Twente in Almelo and Hengelo; applying the national obesity rate gives an indicative upper limit of about 17,100 people with obesity. The Dutch page for Emmen has local details, and there are Dutch pages for the gastric sleeve, gastric bypass and mini bypass from Emmen as well.
Assen has about 70,769 inhabitants at municipal level. Residents are usually referred to Frisius Medisch Centrum in Leeuwarden; applying the national obesity rate gives an indicative upper limit of about 11,000 people with obesity. The Dutch page for Assen has local details, and there are Dutch pages for the gastric sleeve, gastric bypass and mini bypass from Assen as well.
Hoogeveen has about 56,781 inhabitants at municipal level. Residents are usually referred to Ziekenhuisgroep Twente in Almelo and Hengelo; applying the national obesity rate gives an indicative upper limit of about 8,900 people with obesity. The Dutch page for Hoogeveen has local details, and there are Dutch pages for the gastric sleeve, gastric bypass and mini bypass from Hoogeveen as well.
Neighbouring provinces
If a centre in a neighbouring province is closer to your home or better suits your insurance, you can also look there. Drenthe borders Groningen, Friesland, Overijssel. Each province page lists its centres and their 2024 volumes.
Aftercare from Drenthe
The aftercare schedule runs for a minimum of five years. At Vitalys, for instance, check-ups take place 6, 12 and 18 months after surgery and yearly after that until five years have passed, each including blood work. Numerous centres also offer online contact alongside visits. When you pick a centre from Drenthe, check which appointments are possible remotely and how you can contact the team after hours. Taking WLS vitamins is lifelong, and blood is still tested every year after aftercare ends; your GP usually handles this.
How many people in Drenthe have obesity?
According to the Health Monitor, run by RIVM, Statistics Netherlands and the GGDs, 15.6 percent of adults in the Netherlands had obesity in 2024. Between GGD regions it varied from 11.6 to 19.2 percent. Take the roughly 237,431 people living in the places above and you arrive at an indicative maximum of about 37,000 people with obesity. This is a ceiling, since the percentage only concerns adults whereas the population figures also count children. You can find regional figures on vzinfo.nl.
Only a share of this group can have weight loss surgery. You qualify with a BMI of 40, or with a BMI of 35 plus a weight-related health problem like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or sleep apnoea. Others might do better with a lifestyle programme, a gastric balloon or medication prescribed under supervision. Compare the options for treating obesity.
Getting weight loss surgery from Drenthe: step by step
- Sign up with a general practitioner in your own municipality. Hospital care is only accessible through your GP.
- Check your insurance: is Ziekenhuisgroep Twente contracted by your insurer, or another centre that suits you better?
- Attend an information session, often online; ask whether an English version is available.
- Screening by an internist, psychologist and dietitian.
- The procedure and the care afterwards: a short admission, followed by no less than five years of follow-up appointments. So consider the travel time between your home in Drenthe and the hospital.
Choosing a centre as a resident of Drenthe
You choose the centre yourself; it need not be the one most people in your town attend. Put side by side: travel time over five years of aftercare, how long you would wait, your insurer's contracts, and English-language information. 2 centres serve this province, so several options are within reach. Read on about how to pick an obesity clinic and cost and insurance cover.
Useful Dutch terms for residents of Drenthe
Huisarts: your GP and gatekeeper to hospital care. Verwijzing: the referral letter you need. Eigen risico: the mandatory deductible, 385 euros in 2026. Basispakket: the basic insurance package that covers weight loss surgery. Huisartsenpost: the out-of-hours GP service for urgent questions in the evening and at weekends.
More in English
Sources
- DATO Annual Report 2024, DICA: centre volumes
- Inhabitants: CBS figures, through AlleCijfers.nl and citypopulation.de
- Gezondheidsmonitor 2024, RIVM, CBS and GGD: obesity percentages
Frequently asked questions
In this guide, places in Drenthe are served by 2 DATO-certified centres: Ziekenhuisgroep Twente, Frisius Medisch Centrum. Most places fall under Ziekenhuisgroep Twente.
Combined population of the 3 places: approximately 237,431, at municipal level. Every place has its own detailed Dutch-language page.
Yes, the basic package in the Netherlands covers it when you have a GP referral and meet the indication criteria. You do pay the mandatory deductible, set at 385 euros for 2026.
Nationally 15.6 percent of adults have obesity. Applied to the places in this guide, that is an indicative upper limit of about 37,000 people.
Yes, as long as your insurer covers it. Consider travel time, because aftercare lasts at least five years.
According to DATO's annual report, WeightWorks Clinics in Amersfoort carried out 1,598 primary procedures in 2024.
Your GP (huisarts) can refer you to a centre for bariatric surgery; it is best if your health insurer has contracted that centre for the current year.
English is spoken by a lot of doctors and nurses in the Netherlands. Group sessions and written materials, though, are frequently in Dutch, so check with the centre beforehand.
Also available in Dutch. Author: Gijs Bodenstaff. Last reviewed: September 2026.