[Demands on and benefit from insurance-orientated hospital management - findings from qualitative interviews with executive members of statutory health insurance].
OBJECTIVE
Starting from the fact that statutory health insurance bodies are increasingly important hospital stakeholders, the article focuses on the question of demands on and benefit from an insurance-orientated hospital management.


METHODS
A methodological approach is chosen which takes the views of the stakeholder health insurance as a starting point: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 executives of different statutory health insurance. Data analysis was based on the "zusammenfassende Inhaltsanalyse" (literal translation: summarizing content analysis), developed by Mayring.


RESULTS
From the participants' points of view the highly regulated relationship between hospitals and insurances offers opportunities for active development. The analysis of expectance distinguishes between five areas of demand: "Hospital services", "service development", "case management", "management of conflicts/reviews" and "budget negotiations". Within these areas dimensions of demand are differentiated. Most participants feel that an insurance-oriented hospital management is beneficial to the hospital.


CONCLUSIONS
A number of specific demands is identified on which management activities can be based. Hospitals need to consider carefully the benefit of insurance-orientation and suitable measures in the light of hospital-specific aims and strategies.
Hansen
H
H
Institut und Poliklinik für Arbeitsmedizin, Sozialmedizin und Sozialhygiene der Universität zu Köln, Abteilung Medizinische Soziologie. hilke.hansen@gmx.de
Lütticke
J
J
Pfaff
H
H
D002017:Budgets; D005377:Financial Management, Hospital; D005858:Germany; D006740:Hospital Administrators; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D012106:Research