What Nocepta does

Nocepta is a Dutch outpatient specialist pain center (pijncentrum) founded in October 2015 as Nocepta V.O.F., operating as the dedicated chronic pain unit of MST (Medisch Spectrum Twente) and ZGT (Ziekenhuisgroep Twente) hospitals and physically located within ZGT Hengelo. The center delivers multidisciplinary chronic pain treatment combining 11 anesthesiologists-pain specialists with physician assistants, pain consultants, nurses, social psychiatric nurses, doctor assistants, and medical secretaries, and offers more than 25 procedures including nerve blocks, TENS, Qutenza capsaicin patches, and Reducept virtual reality therapy.

The business model is built on Dutch healthcare reimbursement: the bulk of treatments are covered under the Dutch basic health insurance (basisverzekering) framework via hospital DBC/DOT tariffs, supplemented by a smaller stream of non-reimbursed add-on services. Referrals flow primarily through the MST and ZGT hospital networks and via GPs and specialists in the Twente region. Nocepta holds Qualicor Diamond accreditation, the highest tier of the European Qualicor quality framework, and operates formal patient governance through a Cliëntenraad established in 2020. The addressable patient population is roughly 3 million Dutch citizens living with chronic pain, against which Nocepta currently carries a 24-week wait time — above both its internal norm and the Dutch national average — indicating demand materially exceeding current capacity.

Operationally, Nocepta functions as a structurally embedded joint venture between two regional hospitals rather than an independent standalone clinic, with shared infrastructure, shared governance touchpoints, and a digital patient touchpoint via the MijnZGT portal. There is no disclosed revenue, funding history, or staffing trajectory in the public record, and growth signals are limited to the adoption of digital therapeutics (Reducept VR) and a high-capacity-utilization waitlist.

Name

Nocepta

Legal name

Nocepta V.O.F.

Website

https://nocepta.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nocepta is a Dutch outpatient specialist pain center founded in 2015, jointly operated with MST and ZGT hospitals and based at ZGT Hengelo, delivering multidisciplinary chronic pain treatment to insured Dutch patients via 11 anesthesiologists-pain specialists and a 25-procedure portfolio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pain Management Services

NAICS

Outpatient Care Centers (6214), Offices of Other Health Practitioners (6213)

SIC

Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

Pain Management Clinics (Interventional & Medical) (HLAFABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pain Management & Interventional Procedure Centers (HLAFAIAH), Pain Medicine (Interventional/Neuropathic Pain) (HLAKAIAM)

Keywords

• Chronic pain treatment
• Multidisciplinary pain management
• Interventional pain procedures
• Nerve block therapy
• Outpatient pain clinic

Headquarters

HQ city

Hengelo

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Healthcare Services Reimbursement: Nocepta provides specialized medical treatments for chronic pain patients. Services are covered under the Dutch basic health insurance (basisverzekering). The care provided by Nocepta is contracted by ZGT with health insurers. Patients are referred by general practitioners and medical specialists.
2. Non-Reimbursed Treatments: Some treatments are not covered by Dutch health insurance and must be paid for by the patient: facet block at lumbar level, SI joint treatment, intra-articular joint infiltration, and epidural injection for mechanical complaints.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Nocepta is an outpatient specialist pain center that provides multidisciplinary chronic pain treatment by integrating anesthesiologists, neurologists, psychologists, physiotherapists, orthopedists, and rehabilitation physicians. It delivers first consultations, interventional pain procedures (nerve blocks, epidurals, facet joint radiofrequency, TENS, Qutenza, iontophoresis, cryolesion, RACZ), cancer pain management, CRPS treatment, Virtual Reality pain therapy (Reducept), and aftercare for patients with chronic musculoskeletal, neuropathic, and oncologic pain conditions.

Product overview

Nocepta is a specialized outpatient pain clinic (pijncentrum) operating as a partnership between MST and ZGT hospitals in Hengelo, Netherlands. The organization offers a comprehensive portfolio of pain management services centered around an interdisciplinary team of anesthesiologists, neurologists, psychologists, physiotherapists, orthopedists, and rehabilitation physicians. The core product is multidisciplinary chronic pain treatment, supported by numerous specific interventional procedures including TENS, nerve blocks (stellate ganglion, sphenopalatine, Gasserian, celiac plexus, intercostal, lumbar sympathetic), epidural injections, facet joint treatments, cryolesion therapy, iontophoresis, Qutenza, and the RACZ procedure. Additional services include Virtual Reality therapy (Reducept), the MijnZGT patient portal for medication requests and medical records, first consultations, and aftercare support. Pain conditions treated encompass osteoarthritis, neck pain, nerve pain (neuropathy), cancer pain, back pain, headache, and complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• First Consultation (Eerste consult) Initial specialist consultation in which pain specialists assess referred chronic pain patients, review medical history, conduct physical examinations, and develop an individualized multidisciplinary treatment plan.
• Cryolesion Treatment (Cryolaesie behandeling) Minimally invasive procedure applying extreme cold to targeted nerves for treatment of neuropathic pain and headache disorders.
• Iontophoresis (Iontoforese) Treatment using electrical currents to deliver medication through the skin for conditions such as cancer pain, headache, osteoarthritis, and nerve pain.
• TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) Non-invasive electrical nerve stimulation therapy for pain relief used across osteoarthritis, neck pain, nerve pain, cancer pain, back pain, and headache.
• Stellate Ganglion Block (Ganglion Stellatum blokkade) Nerve block procedure targeting the stellate ganglion for treatment of nerve pain conditions.
• Sphenopalatine Ganglion Block (Ganglion Sphenopalatinum blokkade) Nerve block procedure targeting the sphenopalatine ganglion for treatment of facial pain and headache.
• Gasserian Ganglion Block (Ganglion Gasseri blokkade / Sweet) Procedure targeting the Gasserian ganglion for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia and facial pain.
• Qutenza (Capsaicin Patch) Topical capsaicin patch therapy applied for neuropathic nerve pain conditions.
• Celiac Plexus Block (Plexus Coeliacus blokkade) Nerve block procedure used for abdominal pain, particularly for pain management in pancreatic, liver, and stomach cancer patients.
• Nerve Root Block (Zenuwwortelblokkade) Diagnostic and therapeutic injection targeting nerve roots for neck and back pain with radiating symptoms.
• Diagnostic Nerve Root Block (Diagnostische zenuwwortelblokkade) Diagnostic procedure to identify which specific nerve root is responsible for the patient's pain symptoms.
• Intercostal Nerve Block (Intercostale zenuwblokkade) Nerve block targeting intercostal nerves for treatment of chest wall pain, cancer pain, and back pain.
• Lumbar Sympathetic Block (Lumbale Sympathicus Blokkade) Sympathetic nerve block in the lumbar region for treatment of back pain and nerve pain conditions.
• RACZ Procedure (Epidural Neuroplasty) Epidural neuroplasty procedure for treatment of persistent back pain and failed back surgery syndrome.
• Epidural Injection (Epidurale infiltratie) Steroid injection into the epidural space for treatment of back pain, cancer pain, and neck pain with radicular symptoms.
• Facet Joint Treatment (Behandeling facetgewrichten wervelkolom PFD) Treatment of spinal facet joints using radiofrequency denervation for back and neck pain caused by facet joint degeneration.
• SI Joint Treatment (Behandeling van de SI-gewrichten) Treatment of sacroiliac joint pain including diagnostic infiltration, therapeutic infiltration, and palisade procedures.
• Coccyx Pain Treatment (Behandeling van pijn aan het staartbotje) Treatment for tailbone (coccyx) pain using various interventional techniques.
• Trigger Point / Peripheral Nerve Treatment Treatment targeting trigger points and peripheral nerves for localized nerve pain management.
• CRPS Treatment (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) Specialized multidisciplinary treatment program for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS).
• Cancer Pain Management (Pijn bij kanker) Comprehensive cancer pain management including medication according to the WHO pain ladder, nerve blocks, spinal analgesia, and multidisciplinary support.
• Aftercare (Post-Treatment Care) Post-treatment care and monitoring service including information on potential side effects and recovery guidelines.
• Virtual Reality Pain Therapy (Reducept) Virtual reality-based pain management therapy using the Reducept system for pain education and coping strategies.
• Chronic Pain Treatment Program (Chronische pijn behandeling) Comprehensive multidisciplinary chronic pain treatment addressing conditions lasting longer than 3-6 months including musculoskeletal pain, scar tissue pain, dystrophy, headache, neck pain, nerve pain, and cancer pain.

Quantifiable outcome

• Goal to halve patient pain score (NRS-score)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ZGT (Ziekenhuis Groep Twente)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2015Nocepta is the outpatient specialist pain center of ZGT and MST hospitals, located within ZGT Hengelo. ZGT hosts Nocepta and makes contract agreements with health insurers. Nocepta falls under the WTZi-code of ZGT. The clinic was established from ZGT's pain clinic.
• MST (Medisch Spectrum Twente)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2015Nocepta is the outpatient specialist pain center of both MST and ZGT hospitals. The clinic was established from MST's pain clinic as well. The anesthesiology groups from both hospitals are partners in Nocepta V.O.F.
• Eurocept (TENS device supplier)minorOthersFirm providing TENS devices to Nocepta patients. Patients with questions about TENS devices contact Eurocept at 035 528 8377 for device-related issues.
• Firma van Lent (TENS device supplier)minorOthersFirm providing TENS devices to Nocepta patients. Patients contact 0412-640690 for device issues and electrode-related questions.
• Patiëntenfederatie Nederland (Patient Federation Netherlands)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNocepta participates in Zorgkaart Nederland, an initiative of Patiëntenfederatie Nederland providing independent choice information to help patients select healthcare providers.
• NAPA (Nederlandse Associatie Physician Assistants)minorOthersNocepta employs Physician Assistants who can learn more about the profession through the Dutch Association of Physician Assistants website.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Bergman Clinics: Large Dutch network of focused private clinics for elective and chronic care including pain/orthopedic indications. Comparable in operating a specialist outpatient model with insurance-contracted and self-pay treatments in the Netherlands.
• Amsterdam UMC Pijncentrum: Academic hospital pain center providing interventional and multidisciplinary chronic pain care. Comparable in combining anesthesiology-led interventional treatment with multidisciplinary evaluation and research-driven protocols.
• DC Klinieken: Dutch chain of outpatient specialist clinics offering pain management, orthopedics, and other specialty care on a referral basis. Closely comparable as a multi-site outpatient specialist provider operating in the same Dutch reimbursed-care model.
• UMC Utrecht Pijncentrum: University hospital-based multidisciplinary pain center offering interventional pain procedures within a teaching hospital. Directly comparable service portfolio and referral-based model, though embedded in an academic rather than regional hospital.

Others

• Reducept: Developer of the VR pain management platform used by Nocepta. Adjacent ecosystem participant as a technology supplier rather than direct care competitor.
• Grünenthal GmbH (Qutenza): Manufacturer of Qutenza (capsaicin patch), a key treatment offered by Nocepta. Adjacent pharmaceutical supplier whose product is integral to Nocepta's neuropathic pain service line.
• Eurocept Healthcare (TENS supplier): Supplier of TENS devices used by Nocepta patients. Ecosystem participant providing equipment rather than competing clinical services.

Regional players

• Maastricht UMC+ Pijncentrum: Academic hospital pain center serving the south of the Netherlands with multidisciplinary and interventional chronic pain services. Comparable in scope but primarily serves a different geography from Nocepta's Twente catchment.
• Rijnstate Pijncentrum: Hospital-based multidisciplinary pain center in Arnhem serving the east of the Netherlands. Comparable as a regional competitor offering similar interventional and multidisciplinary chronic pain services to a defined catchment.
• Diakonessenhuis Pijncentrum: General hospital-based pain center providing chronic pain treatment in central Netherlands. Comparable as a Dutch regional hospital pain clinic with similar multidisciplinary offering and referral-driven patient flow.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nocepta

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nocepta