Trends in European Hospital Management: Results of the Survey of European Hospital Managers

Author:

Dr. Carsten Frank Hutt

This is the second part of the analysis of the study “Trends in European Hospital Management”. As you know, this study is the result of a collaboration between E-Hospital and Emergent Actio.

The first part dealt with the interpretation of answers to questions on the size of a hospital vis-a-vis its competitiveness, the impact of information technology on medical quality, the profitability of information technology and the foreseen number of hospitals by 2020.

5. Industrial Standards in Hospitals

Thesis: Hospitals must commit to industrial standards (for example by optimising processes and increasing profitability).

When we asked about the implementation of industrial standards we perceived clear tendencies: the analysis of the data showed that especially private hospital chains agree with this statement (median = definitely agree), while all other hospital types answer with a median of ‘tend to agree’.

6. Holistic Diagnostic Approach

Thesis: There is a trend towards a holistic diagnosis approach to the patient to be observed in healthcare and early diagnosis. The combination of in vitro (laboratory diagnosis) and in vivo (imaging diagnosis) stands for innovation and future.

This is the question with the most homogenous body of answers: about 95 percent agree or tend to agree with the statement. One could say that the combination of in vitro and in vivo diagnosis is already and will also remain a solid information management trend in European hospitals.Another obvious trend is confirmed in the next chapter.

7. Generation of Knowledge from Patient Data

Thesis: The generation of knowledge from patient data with the help of statistical methods will drastically change the diagnosis quality in the coming years.

A secret treasure seems to be hidden in the volume of patient data. This treasure will be discovered, categorised and utilised for the improvement of diagnosis qua lity. Data mining and statistical methods will play an important role in this data analysis. Evidence based medicine, although still a young branch of science, is al ready well known to European hospital management. But other methods in this area have also achieved publicity.

Which term have you already heard in relation to knowledge generation from patient data for the improvement of diagnosis quality?

8. Influence of the European Union on Hospital Management

Thesis: Guidelines by the European Union are having a substantial influence on hospital management. As we can see, more than 60 percent of the interviewed hospital managers are aware of the strong influence the European Union already has on hospital management.

On the other hand, it is surprising that only 40 percent disagree or tend to disagree with this statement.