praktijkhouder

Praktijkhouder is a Dutch term that denotes the person or legal entity that owns and operates a care practice, such as a huisartsenpraktijk (general practice) or tandartspraktijk (dental practice). The praktijkhouder holds the professional and financial responsibility for the practice, including compliance with medical regulations, quality of care, patient safety, and privacy rules, and for the contracts with health insurers and patient registrations. In most cases the practice is a solo enterprise or a group practice; the praktijkhouder can be an individual (e.g., sole proprietor physician or dentist) or a legal entity such as a maatschap (partnership) or private company which acts as the contracting and accountable unit.

The practitioner who delivers care remains responsible for the professional acts; however, the day-to-day operations may be delegated to a practice manager or administrators. The praktijkhouder remains ultimately accountable for the proper functioning of the practice, staff qualifications, and compliance with the BIG-register requirements for the professionals in the practice.

In the Dutch healthcare system, the concept is often used in discussions about ownership structures, succession, mergers, and contract relations with insurers and healthcare authorities. The term can also apply to other regulated care settings, such as pharmacies or multidisciplinary practices, where a lead partner or entity bears the core ownership and accountability.