European Health Data Space must not push small medical practices into administrative burnout

The health workforce is in crisis, with staff shortages, strikes and stress and burn-out on the rise across Europe. In this context, European doctors cannot accept that the EHDS will place further administrative burden on top of small medical practices’ normal functions, and taking them away from patient care.

Under the current proposal, small medical practices (up to 50 employees) will have to process the patient health data they hold to government-led bodies for future policy-making, laws and research, and to prepare data sets for third parties, including those which pursue private and commercial interest.

Against the background of initiatives such as the SME Relief package including small medical practices in the secondary use obligations is not an SME-friendly provision.

We therefore call for coherence in EU policymaking and for small enterprises to be added to the exemption rightly foreseen for micro enterprises.

For further information please see also Joint letter CPME, CED, EFN and PGEU Call to Action on the European Health Data Space.