[Integral financing stifles innovation: consequences of the new form of financing for specialists]

Of the 22,800 Dutch medical specialists, 43% are self-employed, which involves various tax benefits. In 2015 an important change took place. In the past, specialists declared their services independently from the hospital, which impeded process adjustments. Although this gives the impression of improvement, it is not, mainly because specialists are organized separately from the hospital organization. In addition, specialists are not entrepreneurs, which means that they avoid risks and uncertainty. The complex situation that has arisen is further complicated by fuzzy implementation that lacks an overall plan. For the individual specialist, the situation is unclear. The specialists consider necessary renewals and innovations to be irresponsible risks. This creates a cautious attitude and inertia. To achieve improvement, government and policy-makers should set clear rules and health insurers should value good governance. This protection would allow specialists and hospital boards to balance medical content and finance.