title: [Organisational challenges of community information offices for the elderly in Switzerland : A qualitative study with ethical reflections].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Current Swiss politics concerning age and ageing are orientated towards the principle "out-patient before in-patient". As part of new regulations, in 2011 all communities were required to set up information offices to answer questions about out-patient and in-patient care.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this qualitative study was to analyse in which form and under which conditions such information offices are run.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative study was conducted which consisted of semistructured interviews with managers of information offices. They were analysed using qualitative content analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis shows that on the one hand the information offices have the potential to serve an important role in the communities and that they have a highly complex, demanding and responsible function. On the other hand the results illustrate that in organisational respects the situation is highly heterogeneous and unregulated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For the running of the information offices, there is need for action such as the definition of general framework, quality standards, qualifications and values profiles, objectives, mission, responsibility and legitimation, instruments for networking and cooperations.
authors: Dialog Ethik - Interdisziplinäres Institut für Ethik im Gesundheitswesen, Schaffhauserstrasse 418, 8050, Zürich, Schweiz. aabraham@dialog-ethik.ch.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Abraham
authors: Dialog Ethik - Interdisziplinäres Institut für Ethik im Gesundheitswesen, Schaffhauserstrasse 418, 8050, Zürich, Schweiz.
authors: Hildegard
authors: H
authors: Huber
authors: Dialog Ethik - Interdisziplinäres Institut für Ethik im Gesundheitswesen, Schaffhauserstrasse 418, 8050, Zürich, Schweiz.
authors: Ruth
authors: R
authors: Baumann-Hölzle
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000941:ethics* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D054626:Consumer Health Information / Q000941:ethics* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000941:ethics* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration; D011057:Politics; D013557:Switzerland
keywords: "Out-patient before in-patient"; Aging politics; Communal inequality; Development of structures; Out-patient care for the elderly