Role and positioning of university outpatient departments

Project lead: Claudia Wild, Philipp Mad
Duration: May 2006 - March 2007

Research question/objective: University hospitals have to provide medical care and teaching functions: patients expect university hospitals to offer the latest medical achievements. Under increased budgetary and capacity constraints, out-patient services as well as in-patient care provision in university hospitals have to concentrate on specialized services not covered elsewhere. An assessment of the requirements (meeting the needs without accelerating the demand) of university out-patient services aims to investigate the question of additional services and trends and tendencies in the provision of services. The analysis of the data from 25 university hospital clinics offering outpatient services (University Hospital of Innsbruck) will support the planning of these services in the future.

Method: Systematic review and (retrospective) data analysis

Content: Systematic review of international approaches to planning and restructuring out-patient services at university hospitals; data analysis of out-patient services in the University Hospital Innsbruck: quantity frequencies of services delivered; description of care “environment”: provision of services by physicians and specialists in the surrounding area; data analysis of frequent services with low specialisation for their need for vocational training and research

Publication: HTA-Projektbericht 05

Contact: Claudia Wild, Philipp Mad