Long distances to the desired hospital acceptable?

Many patients are willing to go far for clinic treatment

04/04/2014

Most patients would go far for the desired hospital, and the quality of the treatment is the basis of this decision, reports the accounting and consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) based on the 2014 Hospital Survey.

„Over 40 percent would drive more than 50 kilometers to the clinic, which meets their expectations“, so the press release from PwC. One sixth of respondents take „even distances of more than 100 kilometers in purchasing, while at the other end of the spectrum only just under one in twelve respondents could basically treat in the nearest house“, PwC continues. The results of the survey are also important for the design of the future hospital landscape and the preservation of municipal hospitals, as it becomes clear that care close to the home for the patients plays only a minor role in plannable interventions.

Medical quality of care crucial for the choice of clinic
As part of the 2014 Hospital Survey, the auditing firm also determined what risks the clinics see for the future. In particular, the difficult financial situation of the hospitals, the resulting savings and subsequent cuts in the quality of medical care could therefore lead to the exodus of patients and thus to a worsening of the economic situation. As the quality of care decreases, hospitals quickly become unattractive „a highly qualified medical and specialist team is an essential criterion for hospital choice for almost 60 percent of Germans“ is, reports PwC. So threaten „even clinics that are slightly in deficit, a downward spiral, if they can not get their budget under control quickly“, explain Armin Albat, hospital expert and PwC partner. „If the actual or even supposed financial difficulties become known, many patients opt for another clinic. As a result, the utilization decreases and the financial problems grow“, Albat continued.

University clinics with the best reputation
According to the accounting firm, the survey also revealed that the decision to go to a clinic rarely coincides with the recommendation of the family doctor. For only 27 percent of respondents, the recommendation played an important role in choosing a particular clinic. A modern equipment park is crucial for almost 40 percent. Furthermore, the clinics could with „Comfort features such as single rooms, good food and attractive rooms score only for a few potential patients“, reports PwC. According to PwC, university clinics generally enjoy the best reputation among patients. So you would be close „60 percent of Germans attribute the highest quality standards to research and teaching hospitals.“ In second place are the private clinics, followed by the municipal and church hospitals. However, the sponsorship is actually important for the hospital choice only in three out of a hundred Germans.

The results of the survey are in the opinion of PwC also relevant to politics, since it has been shown that the local care „at least beyond the acute medicine for the citizens apparently less relevant than often assumed“ is. There would be potential here „for pooling capacities and further specialist specialization.“ (Fp)