Small Business Index in Healthcare

The Small Business Index series for physiotherapy and allied health constitutes a flagship project of the research group within the research line Financial – Social and Health. Over recent years, the indexes have systematically mapped the financial position, investment capacity, and societal value of small primary care practices. In doing so, they directly align with HU’s strategic policy Samen Gezond, which places resilient healthcare organizations and sustainable neighborhood-level collaboration at its core. 

The indexes have had substantial national impact. They have been featured multiple times in the media, including Het Financieele Dagblad, Skipr, and Medisch Ondernemen, where findings on rising costs, tariffs, and entrepreneurial risks have been widely discussed. In addition, professional associations have used the data in letters to the Minister and the House of Representatives to support policy advocacy on appropriate funding and future-proof primary care. Parliamentary questions have also been raised in response to our reports. The index is now also used to substantiate medical sector reports by ABN AMRO bank and Rabobank. 

Through this series of studies, the SME perspective in healthcare has, for the first time, been structurally and empirically placed on the agenda. The indexes have opened up the discussion on business operations, financial pressure, and investment capacity in small practices, leading policymakers, insurers, and professional groups to more visibly take into account the realities of primary care entrepreneurs in the Netherlands.