Study

In EXEC
Sat, 26 May 2007

HealthManagement, Volume 9, Issue 3 /2007

Compare Your Establishment with the European Competition!

Dear Hospital Managers,

Would you like to compare your establishment with others, in your country or elsewhere in Europe? Would you like to know what decision- making structures are like in neighbouring hospitals, how the purchasing procedure is organised, what information systems are already in place, in which area investment is taking place and what percentage of the budget is spent on average on medical technology equipment in European hospitals ?

In other words:

Are you of the opinion that the existence of your establishment depends on the evolution of the market and that it can be useful to have an indepth view right now? If you share this conviction, we invite you to take part in a study on the mutual relations between hospital management and medical technology!

Context

The pressure which is being exerted throughout Europe on hospitals to transform themselves results firstly from the demographic evolution as well as the increasing demands linked to new medical technology. The question is therefore to know how hospitals can reach a high quality of service and constant improvement while maintaining increasing efficiency. In this context, the relation between the two essential players is all-important:

• hospitals and their management as service providers.

• the medical technology sector as initiator and sponsor of innovation.

In order to respond to the questions which emerge from this situation, Emergent Actio KG, in collaboration with (E-)Hospital are carrying out a survey on the theme of “The Interaction Between Hospital Management and Medical Technology”.

Main Points of the study

The study will examine two important points, in order to shed light on the interaction between hospital management and medical technology and to determine future reciprocal requirements.

1. On one hand, it involves discovering the evolution and trends in hospitals and hospital management in Europe.

2. On the other hand, it involves the question of the contribution to the hospital sector made by the medical technology sector, and the future demands which will follow from the evolution of healthcare and hospital management.

Objectives

The objective is to show the principle trends in hospital management in Europe in different areas:

• Orientation and strategic adaption of hospitals of the principal European countries.

• Influence of European regulations on hospital management.

• Effects of the organisational structure of hospitals and the structural decisions on the structures themselves (who decides what?)

• Decision-making procedures (who decides on every purchase of medical technology and on what basis?)

• IT solutions for hospitals: the local value of IT, demands, technical and/or financial motivation for the acquisition of IT solutions, etc.

Conditions of participation, thank-you present and a prize

The survey will start in this edition of (E-)Hospital and continues until 15 October.

The participation is done electronically and is rapid, simple and non-bureaucratic. Just a series of multiple- choice questions which are short and easy to complete.

Please find your password in the adjoining envelope and fill in the questionnaire on-line on: www.easurvey. com/hospital in one of three available languages (French, German or English).

The on-line questionnaire will take approximately 15 minutes of your time. The evaluation of this survey will take place anonymously and the results will be used exclusively for scientific purposes.

And don’t forget: the participants in this survey will receive a thank-you present which will be sent to them by post, at the end of the survey.

The evaluation of the results and the summary of the findings of the survey will continue until Medica 2007, where the results will be presented in detail. Furthermore, a surprise is awaiting one of the participants, in the from of a prize. We will be delighted to meet you during the presentation of results and at the reception which will follow, in order to discuss further and perhaps to congratulate you on your winning ticket!

Some essential points on the advantages for you:

The study will be beneficial for your day-to-day work, but also in view of the evolution of a lasting vision of the future of your establishment. Every participant will receive a summary of the results and the possibility to measure themselves against a European benchmark. Not only the individual results can serve as a basis for discussion in relation to governing bodies or other institutions, but they can also generate new ideas and impetus for the future direction of your establishment! The possibility is there for you to keep a step ahead of the competition. Information is power!

If you have questions, or require additional information, please