Proposals for healthcare reform
Dr Hartmut Krafft Centre for Economics and Health – Centre for Health Economics
Well-founded insights for practical application
The Dr Hartmut Krafft Centre at the UW/H is an interdisciplinary research institute that focuses on issues relating to health economics and health services epidemiology.
Its aim is to develop proposals for reforming the German healthcare system that are scientifically sound and practicable. This requires the transfer of current research findings into practice and the translation of scientific discourse into political discourse.
In its work, the Centre follows two guiding principles:
- Societal and health policy challenges require rigorous scientific analysis.
- Relevant reform proposals require scientific evidence and political feasibility.
Participating departments
The Centre comprises the following chairs:
- Chair of Institutional Economics and Health Policy
- Chair of Health Services Research.
Research: Foundations for healthcare
Research at the Dr Hartmut Krafft Centre is organised into five thematic areas. Further information on the individual research projects carried out by the chairs can be found on the websites of the Chair of Institutional Economics and Health Policy and the Chair of Health Services Research.
Diversity and health
People who use healthcare services differ in terms of characteristics such as gender, age, socio-economic status and migration background. Their health expectations and needs are correspondingly diverse. In practice, this is often not taken sufficiently into account, which impairs the accessibility and effectiveness of healthcare.
Using mixed-methods approaches, the Dr Hartmut Krafft Centre investigates how different population groups differ in terms of their health, behaviour and use of healthcare services. It develops measures to help healthcare facilities provide care that addresses diverse needs.
International exchange
Health services research in Germany is highly developed in terms of theory and methodology, but has little international focus. This is also reflected in the limited exchange between German and international researchers.
The Dr Hartmut Krafft Centre promotes exchange between healthcare researchers (including early-career researchers) from different countries in order to strengthen the international perspective in healthcare research and practice. Further objectives include raising the international profile of German healthcare research and enhancing its competitiveness, as well as establishing a sustainable international cooperation network.
Sustainability of healthcare system funding
The financing of the German healthcare system is based on four pillars:
- statutory health insurance (GKV),
- private health insurance (PKV),
- social care insurance, and
- co-payments by the insured.
Insurance providers face the challenge of financing rising expenditure on healthcare and long-term care in a sustainable manner in order to ensure long-term stability.
One of the Dr Hartmut Krafft Centre’s key research areas is forecasting future costs for healthcare and long-term care. It also develops concepts for the long-term financing of healthcare. To this end, it analyses the financing systems in other countries in order to derive proposals for reform in Germany.
Further development of methods in healthcare research
Addressing issues in healthcare requires the application of complex qualitative and quantitative research methods. For this reason, the Dr Hartmut Krafft Centre is further developing methods in healthcare research and integrating them with research approaches from epidemiology, psychology, sociology and econometrics. In this way, it also contributes to the exchange and expansion of research methods at the university.
Publications
All publications by the Dr Hartmut Krafft Centre for Economics and Health at UW/H are gradually being included in the university bibliography.
Teaching and Pedagogy
The chairs grouped within the centre offer courses both within the degree programmes of the Faculty of Health (primarily the degree programme in Medicine) and those of the Faculty of Management, Economics and Society.
Further information can be found on the websites of the centre’s two chairs:
- Chair of Institutional Economics and Health Policy
- Chair of Health Services Research.
Management
Prof. Dr. PH
Patrick Brzoska
Chair holder
Faculty of Health (School of Medicine) | Chair of Health Care Research
Alfred-Herrhausen-Straße 50
58455 WittenRoom number: 1.002
Univ.-Prof. Dr.
Dirk Sauerland , MHE
Chair holder
Faculty of Management, Economics and Society (Department of Philosophy, Politics and Economics) | Chair of Institutional Economics and Health Policy
Alfred-Herrhausen-Straße 50
58455 WittenRoom number: 1.223