[EQ] Cross border care EU: How to choose the best hospital?

Cross border care EU: How to choose the best hospital?

- A study of hospital information portals in five EU countries

Helena Cordasev, M.A., Arne Björnberg, Ph.D. and Oscar Hjertqvist

Health Consumer Powerhouse - Report - November 2010

Available online PDF [88p.] at: http://bit.ly/e8CJSw

“………a research on hospital information portals in five European countries: the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, the United Kingdom and Sweden.
These IT portals were analysed on aspects such as user-friendliness and quality of care information (QCI). Furthermore, a questionnaire about the use and effectiveness of such hospital information portals from the patients’ point of view was distributed in 32 European countries and evaluated afterwards. The survey indicates huge patient interest in issues of information and choice in healthcare.

The main conclusions that we draw together in this report reflect today’s picture of QCI in all major European countries. The Internet as an information source, which is available 24 hours and 7 days a week, plays a leading role in all thinkable areas of a consumer’s life. In healthcare however, it is still in its baby shoes and QCI has a long way to go before it can become a serious alternative to other information sources.

 

Throughout our survey we've come to see that the impact of hospital IT-portals as a source of information for patients remains low. In healthcare, people still tend to make their choices based on other grounds, such as the traditional family GP or the hospital around the corner.

One possible explanation for this might be that the consumer is generally in doubt about the reliability and credibility of Internet information in healthcare. Also the question remains unanswered, on what ground patients are ready to make active decisions about an often complicated question such as hospital treatments: independently or in close dialogue with healthcare professionals, peers and relatives. Emotional barriers from a lay-person's perspective, as fear and a general feeling of powerlessness, seem to be one of the reasons why patients tend to stick to their traditional choices.

The type of information presented on hospital information portals should evolve around at least four pillars: quality of treatment, waiting times, patient experience and patient satisfaction…..”

 

Contents

1. Summary

2. Why bother to make a choice?

3. Study aim and design

4. Hospital benchmarking websites

5. Comparison of existing hospital information portals

5.1 The Netherlands – top of Europe

5.2 Denmark – “small is beautiful”

5.3 Germany – a web revolution

5.4 United Kingdom – where it all started

5.5 Sweden – trailing behind

6. How user-friendly and reliable are the portals?

7. Can I find the best GP on the web?

8. Patient opinions about quality outcomes portals

9. Conclusions and visions

10. References

Appendix 1. Questionnaire used in the survey commissioned from Patient View

 

 *      *     *
This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics;
Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues.  [DD/ KMC Area]
Washington DC USA

“Materials provided in this electronic list are provided "as is". Unless expressly stated otherwise, the findings
and interpretations included in the Materials are those of the authors and not necessarily of The Pan American
Health Organization PAHO/WHO or its country members”.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PAHO/WHO Website
Equity List - Archives - Join/remove: http://listserv.paho.org/Archives/equidad.html
Twitter http://twitter.com/eqpaho

IMPORTANT: This transmission is for use by the intended
recipient and it may contain privileged, proprietary or
confidential information. If you are not the intended
recipient or a person responsible for delivering this
transmission to the intended recipient, you may not
disclose, copy or distribute this transmission or take
any action in reliance on it. If you received this transmission
in error, please dispose of and delete this transmission. 

Thank you.