Federatie Nederlandse Audiologische Centra

What Federatie Nederlandse Audiologische Centra does

FENAC (Federatie van Nederlandse Audiologische Centra), founded in 1974 and headquartered at Burgemeester Verderlaan 15 in Utrecht, is the national membership association (vereniging) for all audiological centers (ACs) in the Netherlands. It does not deliver clinical care itself; rather, it supports its member ACs — 7 academic ACs embedded in university medical centers (UMC Groningen, UMC Utrecht, Radboud UMC, Amsterdam UMC, LUMC, Erasmus MC, Maastricht UMC+) plus peripheral ACs operated by six large parent organizations (Koninklijke Kentalis, Pento, Adelante, Libra, Koninklijke Auris, NSDSK) — through four pillars: knowledge management, professional education, quality assurance, and collective advocacy. Its product portfolio includes the FENAC Kennisbank, the Van Horen Zeggen journal co-published with Siméa, four Interdisciplinary Knowledge Groups (Gehoor volwassenen, Gehoor kinderen, Taalspraak, Tinnitus), the FENAC-keurmerk quality certification (renewed every 5 years and required for membership), the PEM patient experience monitor (8.7/10 in 2024), and the NOAH Veldnorm national hearing-care standard (version 5.0 effective 1 January 2027). FENAC also runs a CRKBO-accredited one-year Audiology Assistant training program (€5,600, MBO level 4, 840 study hours) plus modular courses and an annual congress (Partners in Verstaan).

FENAC generates revenue primarily through membership contributions from ACs (set annually by the General Members' Assembly based on each member's production figures), supplemented by training and course fees (€330-€600 per module). It previously derived subscription revenue from OpenAC, a custom electronic patient record system purpose-built for ACs, but transferred that product to MarYor effective 1 January 2026. The association is governed by member ACs and managed by a four-person secretariat (verenigingsbureau); it is privately held with no external VC or PE ownership. The sector FENAC represents is sizeable: peripheral ACs alone served 68,486 patients and delivered 90,958 audiological product trajectories in 2024, generating €67.8M in gross healthcare costs — a 69% increase from €40.1M in 2020 — while direct patient-care FTE grew from 376 to 421 over the same period.

FENAC's go-to-market is non-commercial by design: as an association it does not sell to end consumers but instead distributes services to a captive member base through its website (fenac.nl), LinkedIn, email newsletters, the Kennisbank, and in-person events (congresses, webinars, network days). Member ACs themselves acquire patients via referral from general practitioners, ENT specialists (KNO-arts), youth healthcare doctors (jeugdarts), other medical specialists, and — since 2023 — directly from hearing aid professionals (audiciens). FENAC's strategic positioning rests on three reinforcing assets: the regulatory moat created by FENAC-keurmerk and WTZi membership requirements, the ecosystem moat of 100% AC membership coverage, and a growing data advantage evidenced by the first Brancherapport published in May 2026.

Name

Federatie Nederlandse Audiologische Centra

Legal name

Federatie van Nederlandse Audiologische Centra

Website

https://fenac.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FENAC is the Dutch national membership association founded in 1974 for all audiological centers in the Netherlands, providing knowledge sharing, quality certification (FENAC-keurmerk), professional training, sector data, and advocacy to its 7 academic and 6 peripheral member ACs serving roughly 68,500 patients annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Utrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership contributions: Audiologische centra pay membership fees to FENAC. Contributions are set annually by the General Members' Assembly based on production figures of the audiologische centra. Smaller centers pay less than larger ones.
2. Healthcare reimbursement (via member ACs): Medisch specialistische zorg provided by member audiologische centra is reimbursed under the Zorgverzekeringswet (Zvw) via DBC/Audiologische Producten (APs). FENAC itself does not receive this revenue but facilitates its members.
3. Training and education fees: FENAC charges fees for its training courses and the one-year opleiding tot audiologieassistent. Prices range from €350 per single-day module to €5,600 for the full one-year program, plus €50 for software.
4. OpenAC subscription: OpenAC was an electronic patient record system offered to member ACs; since 1 January 2026 transferred to MarYor. The KVK number is 30103238.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

FENAC is the membership federation of all audiologische centra (audiological centers) in the Netherlands, founded in 1974. It does not deliver patient care itself; instead it supports its member ACs with knowledge sharing (Kennisbank, Van Horen Zeggen journal, interdisciplinary knowledge groups), quality assurance (FENAC-keurmerk certification, Patient Experience Monitor / PEM), professional training (one-year opleiding tot audiologieassistent, short courses, congresses), collective lobbying and advocacy, and sector benchmarking (annual FENAC Brancherapport).

Product overview

FENAC (Federatie van Nederlandse Audiologische Centra) is a membership organisation for all audiologic centres in the Netherlands, rather than a product company. Its service portfolio centres on four pillars: (1) education and training — including a one-year MBO-level Audiology Assistant training programme, a catalogue of short courses and events on hearing, speech/language and tinnitus, and in-company training; (2) a Knowledge Bank containing publications, brochures, protocols (KITS-2, NOAH Veldnorm 5.0) and research produced by its four Interdisciplinary Knowledge Groups (Gehoor volwassenen, Gehoor kinderen, Taalspraak, Tinnitus); (3) quality assurance via the FENAC-keurmerk (a five-year re-evaluated quality certification requiring ISO/JCI/NIAZ/HKZ compliance) and the Patiëntervaringsmonitor (PEM) — a sector-wide patient experience measurement tool; and (4) advocacy, networking and knowledge-sharing for the sector. FENAC previously offered OpenAC, an electronic patient record system for audiologic centres, which was transferred to MarYor on 1 January 2026. FENAC also publishes the annual FENAC Brancherapport with nationwide data on care demand, capacity and costs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Opleiding tot Audiologieassistent (Audiology Assistant Training) One-year MBO level 4 training programme qualifying graduates as certified audiology assistants; includes theoretical lessons on Fridays in Utrecht and a 400-hour practical internship at a FENAC-recognised audiological centre. FENAC is registered with CRKBO, making the programme BTW-exempt.
• Opleidingen en Events (Short Courses and Professional Events Catalogue) Central calendar of continuing education courses, workshops, webinars and congresses for audiological centre professionals and external disciplines (youth healthcare, occupational health, interpreting). Courses include Zintuigonderzoek (visus & gehoor, €350–€600) and Aangeboren gehoorverlies en de invloed op taalvaardigheid (€330–€430). In-company variants are priced on request.
• Congress Partners in Verstaan Annual congress co-organised by FENAC, SIAC and Siméa for professionals working with children with speech/language disorders (TOS), deaf/hard-of-hearing children, and children with combined sensory disabilities.
• FENAC-keurmerk (FENAC Quality Mark Certification) Quality certification programme under which FENAC member audiological centres must hold a nationally or internationally recognised quality certificate (ISO, JCI, NIAZ or HKZ) and have their head practitioner (klinisch fysicus-audioloog) positively vetted by the Dutch Association for Clinical Physics. Recertified every five years; mandatory for FENAC membership.
• Patiëntervaringsmonitor (PEM) — Patient Experience Monitor Validated measurement instrument developed with patients to systematically monitor and benchmark client experiences across all FENAC member audiological centres. Methodology based on Picker Institute person-centered care principles; executed by independent research bureau Expoints; delivered via online dashboard for sector benchmarking.
• FENAC Brancherapport (FENAC Branch Report) Annual branch report presenting quantitative and qualitative information about care provided by peripheral audiological centres in the Netherlands, covering patients, production, personnel and quality. First edition covering 2020-2025 published May 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• Patient satisfaction of 8.7/10 (2024 PEM)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nationaal Overleg Audiologische Hulpmiddelen (NOAH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026NOAH brings together representatives of patients, audiologists, audiiciens, ENT doctors, hearing aid businesses, audiologische centra, and manufacturers. NOAH maintains the Veldnorm Hoorhulpmiddelenzorg (field standard for hearing care), revised to version 5.0 on 1 July 2026 (effective 1 January 2027). FENAC publishes the NOAH veldnorm on its knowledge bank.
• Stichting Hoormij NVVScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFENAC works with Hoormij NVVS, the Dutch patients' organization for people with hearing and balance disorders. The organization is listed as a FENAC collaboration partner on the homepage and FENAC links to Hoormij.NVVS resources (e.g., for tinnitus information).
• Nederlandse Vereniging voor Klinische Fysica (NVKF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNVKF is the professional association for clinical physicists in the Netherlands. FENAC collaborates with NVKF on guidelines (the NVKF is responsible for audiological guidelines in the Netherlands) and the professional development of klinisch fysicus-audioloog (KFA) — the head practitioner in ACs. NVKF oversees the 4-year training to become a clinical physicist including the audiology specialization.
• Nederlandse Vereniging voor Logopedie en Foniatrie (NVLF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFENAC and NVLF collaborate to strengthen the care chain for children with speech/language disorders (TOS). Together they organized a webinar (April 2026) on collaboration between first-line speech therapists and audiologische centra.
• SiméacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFENAC and Siméa jointly publish the professional journal Van Horen Zeggen, an online journal on language development disorders and deaf/hard-of-hearing topics. Siméa also co-organizes the congress 'Partners in Verstaan' with FENAC and SIAC.
• SIAC - Samenwerkende Instellingen Auditieve Communicatieve SectorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSIAC is a collaboration of institutions providing specialized care for people with auditory and/or communicative disabilities. FENAC co-organizes the 'Partners in Verstaan' congress with SIAC and Siméa for professionals working with children with TOS, deaf/hard-of-hearing children, and children with combined sensory disabilities.
• Cinnamon InteractiveminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCinnamon Interactive from Leeuwarden handles web design, branding, technical implementation, maintenance, and security of the FENAC website. Contact: Peter Dekker.
• ImagaminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImaga from Leeuwarden handles online strategy, graphic design, and usability for the FENAC website. Contact: Marco Kramer.
• ExpointsminorOthersExpoints is an independent research bureau that manages the Patient Experience Monitor (PEM) for FENAC, including sending email invitations with digital questionnaire links, anonymous processing of responses, and providing an online dashboard for FENAC to view, analyze, and benchmark results.
• Picker InstituteminorOthersThe PEM instrument is based on questionnaires from the Picker Institute, developed according to eight principles of person-centered care. FENAC uses the Picker methodology (via Expoints) for systematic patient experience measurement.
• Nederlandse vereniging van audicien bedrijven (NVAB)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a FENAC collaboration partner. The organization represents hearing aid businesses (audiciens) who work with audiologische centra on hearing aid fitting and referral.
• De KwaliteitsaudiciensminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a FENAC collaboration partner. StAr-registered audiciens who meet recognized quality standards, recognizable by the 'De Audicien' quality mark, work with ACs on hearing aid fitting.
• MarYorminorOthersMarYor took over the OpenAC electronic patient record system from FENAC on 1 January 2026. OpenAC was FENAC's purpose-built EPD system for audiologische centra.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Nederlandse Vereniging voor Klinische Fysica (NVKF): Dutch professional association for clinical physicists. Comparable Dutch healthcare professional-association structure; co-owner of audiology guidelines with FENAC and responsible for the KFA (klinisch fysicus-audioloog) training pathway.
• Siméa: Dutch organisation for the deaf and hard-of-hearing sector. Active collaboration partner of FENAC, co-publishing the Van Horen Zeggen journal and co-organising the 'Partners in Verstaan' congress; operates in an adjacent audiology/communication ecosystem.
• SIAC (Samenwerkende Instellingen Auditieve Communicatieve Sector): Dutch collaboration of institutions providing specialised care for people with auditory/communicative disabilities. Direct collaboration partner of FENAC and co-organiser of the 'Partners in Verstaan' congress; highly comparable mission and overlapping member institutions.
• Nederlands Huisartsen Genootschap (NHG): Dutch scientific society for general practitioners. Same Dutch healthcare-association model as FENAC — member-funded, quality-standard setting, education, and advocacy — but for the much larger GP profession.
• Koninklijke Nederlandse Maatschappij ter bevordering der Pharmacie (KNMP): Royal Dutch Pharmacists Association. Comparable Dutch professional association structure with membership funding, quality marks, continuing education, and advocacy — illustrating an analogous federation model outside audiology.
• Nederlandse Vereniging van Ziekenhuizen (NVZ): Dutch hospital association representing provider institutions. Comparable as a membership-association governance and lobbying model operating in the same Dutch healthcare policy environment as FENAC, but at provider-organisation rather than clinical-specialty level.
• Nederlandse Vereniging voor Logopedie en Foniatrie (NVLF): Dutch association for speech therapy and phoniatrics. Highly comparable model (Dutch healthcare membership association) and a direct care-chain partner of FENAC for children with speech/language disorders (TOS).

Direct peers

• British Society of Audiology: The UK learned society for audiology professionals. Closely comparable to FENAC as a national membership body promoting audiology practice, research and standards in a single country healthcare system.
• American Academy of Audiology: The US national professional membership association for audiologists. Directly comparable to FENAC in mission (advocacy, continuing education, practice standards) and stakeholder community, but at US scale.
• European Federation of Audiology Societies: Umbrella federation of European audiology societies. Comparable to FENAC at a pan-European level, providing harmonisation, advocacy and knowledge exchange across member national audiology associations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/federatie-nederlandse-audiologische-centra
• Xx.com/FENAC

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Federatie Nederlandse Audiologische Centra