Impact of hospital structural factors on quality of care (MA)
Background:
The quality of patient care in hospitals is influenced by a variety of factors, such as staffing levels or resource availability. These factors can impact the efficiency of services as well as patient outcomes. In Germany, hospitals are required to annually publish quality reports (Strukturierte Qualitätsberichte der Krankenhäuser, § 136b SGB V), which provide data on hospital performance and organizational structures.
Objective:
Aim of this thesis is to investigate relationships between structural hospital characteristics and organizational processes of hospitals and quality of care.
Methods:
In the course of this thesis, German quality reports from hospitals should be analyzed quantitatively to investigate how organizational factors affect quality of care. Statistical analysis, including regression analysis, should be utilized to examine the relationship between variables such as staffing levels, departmental structures, and resource allocation on available quality indicators.
Literature:
· Hearld, L. R., Alexander, J. A., Fraser, I., & Jiang, H. J. (2008). How do hospital organizational structure and processes affect quality of care? A critical review of research methods. Medical care research and Review, 65(3), 259-299.
· Tasi, M. C., Keswani, A., & Bozic, K. J. (2019). Does physician leadership affect hospital quality, operational efficiency, and financial performance?. Health Care Management Review, 44(3), 256-262.