Impact of Vohenstrauß Hospital Closure on Patient Distribution at Weiden Hospital

Markus Förstel (), Stefan Förstel, Markus Gallistl and Eva Rothgang
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Markus Förstel: Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Amberg-Weiden
Stefan Förstel: Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Amberg-Weiden
Markus Gallistl: Kliniken Nordoberpfalz AG
Eva Rothgang: Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Amberg-Weiden

A chapter in Operations Research Proceedings 2024, 2025, pp 412-417 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Germany has a well-equipped healthcare system that spends the highest percentage of its GDP on healthcare in Europe and has the second highest number of hospital beds per 1,000 inhabitants at 7.8, well above the EU average of 4.8. At the same time, the country has a lower avoidable mortality rate and a life expectancy comparable to the EU average, according to reports by the OECD/European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies (2023). These statistics suggest a solid infrastructure, but also highlight areas where healthcare outcomes can be improved. This study examines the effects of the closure of Vohenstrauß hospital in July 2020, with a total of 40 hospital beds, on the flow of patients to Weiden hospital, approximately 14.5 km away, with a total of 649 hospital beds. By analyzing geographical data on the origin of patients and hospital visits over the last thirty years, we found that the closure of Vohenstrauß hospital had only a minimal impact on the flow of patients to Weiden. Our results suggest that the regional healthcare network has adapted effectively, with patients likely to have moved to outpatient providers such as general practitioners. Despite the closure, patient volumes remained the same before and after. This suggests that the quality of healthcare is more important to outcomes than the number of beds or hospitals.

Keywords: Hospital Closure; Patient Distribution; Healthcare Infrastructure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-92575-7_59

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