The aim of the hospital reform is to increase the quality of treatment, ensure comprehensive care and de-economy and de-bureaucratize outpatient care. The goals of the reform in detail:
Take the economic pressure off hospitals: In the future, a retention fee is intended to ensure that hospitals that need them are covered to a relevant extent, largely independently of the service provision. In the short term, the calculation basis for paying hospitals (state base case value) will be adjusted.
Cover additional expenses for costly tasks: Additional care surcharges should be granted for stroke units, traumatology, pediatrics, obstetrics, intensive care medicine, coordination tasks, university hospitals and emergency care.
Support hospitals in rural areas that are in need: Higher security surcharges are planned.
Improve quality of care: Criteria for 65 service groups are defined and all hospital services are clearly assigned to one of the service groups.
Improve planning options for countries: Countries decide which hospital should offer which service groups – and which should not.
Secure basic services close to home: In addition to the hospitals that receive a security surcharge, cross-sector care facilities (Level 1i) are intended to combine inpatient hospital treatment close to home with outpatient and nursing services.