Business Conditions of Small and Medium-Size Hospitals in Japan: Key Research Findings 2016
Research Outline
- Research period: November to December 2016
- Research target: Small and Medium-Size Hospitals
- Research methodologies: Questionnaire by mail and detention method
About Questionnaire to Small and Medium-size Hospitals
Small and medium-size hospitals in this research indicate those that apply to all of the following conditions: 1) Hospital with the number of beds from 40 to less than 100, 2) Being as incorporated medical institutions, or medical corporations, 3) DCP/PDPS-targeted hospitals or the facilities targeted for hospitalize patients according to an integrated community care system. To the above-mentioned hospitals, the questionnaire regarding the financial status has been conducted, from which 45 facilities responded back.
Summary of Research Findings
- Problems and Challenges regarding Business Conditions for Small and Medium-Size Hospitals are “Lack of Staff” and “Deterioration of Building”
When asked about the problems and challenges that the small and medium-size hospitals nationwide currently face regarding business conditions, “lack of staff” dominated to account for 80% of the responses, followed by “deterioration of the building” occupying 51.1%, then the next came “decreasing number of inpatients” which accounted for 33.3%. It shows that there are problems both from hard and soft aspects.
- Only 40 % of Small and Medium-Size Hospitals Proactive to In-Home Medical Care
When asked to 45 privately-owned small and mid-size hospitals nationwide about the attitude toward in-home medical care, the response that occupied the largest was “Being proactive to in-home medical care” which accounted for 42.2%, followed by the response “Cannot say,” which accounted for 33.3% and the next came “Being negative to in-home medical care” which accounted for 24.4%. Although the government is trying to build integrated community care systems, only 40% of the privately-owned small and mid-size hospitals are proactively handling in-home medical care.
- 60 % of Medical Facilities Says No Need for Re-specifying Medical Functions of Their Beds Based on Community Health Care Vision
When asked to 45 privately-owned small and mid-size hospitals nationwide about the changes in the medical functions of hospital beds, 62.2% of the facilities answered that they need no revision of classifying bed functions, and 28.9% answered that they need to revise classification of bed functions. These indicate that small and mid-size hospitals consider that re-specifying the medical functions of their beds according to the community health care vision affects them little.
- Figure 1: Problems/Challenges in Business Conditions for Small and Medium-Size Hospitals
- Figure 2: Current Handling of In-Home Medical Care at Hospitals
- Figure 5: Future Medical Functions of Hospital Beds by 2025
