Questionnaire to Private Small-to-Mid-Size Hospitals in Japan: Key Research Findings 2017
Research Outline
- Research period: November to December 2017
- Research objects: Private small-to-mid-size hospitals
- Research methodologies: Mail survey
About Questionnaire to Private Small-to-Mid-Size Hospitals
Private small-to-mid-size hospitals in this research indicate those hospitals with the following conditions: 1) Equipped with 40 or more sickbeds, 2) Being medical corporations, 3) Being either subject of DPC/PDPS (Diagnosis Procedure Combination/Per-Diem Payment System) or of both inpatient hospital ward and hospital treatment management wards (type 1 and 2) based on the Integrated Community Care System. The research was conducted to and given responses by 47 private small-to-mid-size hospitals nationwide regarding the hospital management in November to December 2017. The same research had also been conducted in the year before.
Summary of Research Findings
- “Lack of Personnel” Occupied 76.6% of the Problems and Challenges in Business Conditions of Small and Medium-Size Hospitals
When asked about the problems and challenges that 47 small and medium-size hospitals nationwide currently face regarding business conditions, just like in the previous research, “Lack of personnel” was the largest number of responses gained, dominating 76.6% of the entire responses, followed by “Improvement in the rate of sickbeds used” occupying 59.6%. The next were “deterioration of buildings” and “Coping with Revision of Medical Fee/Long-Term Care Fee Payment System” both of which accounted for 46.8%. When compared with the research conducted last time, the responses from the hospitals changed in the following items: “Improvement in the rate of sickbeds used” largely increased by 32.9 points, “Collaboration of Hospitals and Practitioners in Clinics” rose by 18.7 points and “Decline of population” fell by 19.2%.
- Only 40 % of Private Small-to-Mid-Size Hospitals Proactive about In-Home Medical Care
When questioned to 47 private small-to-mid-size hospitals nationwide about the attitude toward in-home medical care, the response that occupied the largest was “Being proactive about in-home medical care” which accounted for 44.7%, followed by the response “Cannot say which” that accounted for 31.9%, and the next came “Being negative about in-home medical care” that accounted for 21.3%. Although the government has been pressing ahead with Integrated Community Care System, those private small-to-mid-size hospitals which answered that they have proactively tackling in-home medical care ended up with 40%, the rate has not been changed from the last research.
- 60% of Private Small-to-Mid-Size Hospitals Responded No Need for Revision of Bed Classification based on Community Health Care Vision
When questioned to 47 private small-to-mid-size hospitals nationwide about the changes in the medical functions of hospital beds as a apart of Community Health Care Vision, 63.8% of the hospitals responded that “No need for revision of classifying sickbeds” at their hospitals. In addition, the response to the question “Revision of classifying beds needed” accounted only for 21.3%. These results seem to indicate that many private small-to-mid-size hospitals do not wish large changes in the current conditions.
- Figure 1. Problems/Challenges in Business Conditions for Small-to-Mid-Size Hospitals
- Figure 2. Handling of In-Home Medical Care
