Vogt Bodo, Uphaus Andreas
Department of Business and Medical Faculty, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany.
CareTech OWL, Bielefeld School of Business, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Bielefeld (HSBI), Interaktion 1, 33619 Bielefeld, Germany.
Healthcare (Basel). 2025 May 6;13(9):1074. doi: 10.3390/healthcare13091074.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study analyzed the stability of individual preferences for the allocation of expenditure in the healthcare system using an experimental setting. Understanding these preferences can support policy decisions aimed at achieving a more needs-based allocation of scarce resources in healthcare systems. Stability in preferences might be essential in order to avoid frequent legislative changes and can potentially enhance public satisfaction with the healthcare system.
Individual preferences were assessed through two questionnaire-based experimental studies conducted before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, each with about 160 participants, in the context of a healthcare seminar in the MaxLab of the Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Germany. This study was intended as a preliminary study for a larger follow-up panel study. In particular, the questionnaire contained questions regarding satisfaction with the healthcare system, optimization options, possible maximum contributions, and preferences for the allocation of notional healthcare budget and research funds in order to provide initial evidence regarding the stability of such preferences. As the data were collected both before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, this significant change in the situation helps to provide clear indications of stability. The preferences collected were compared to the actual allocation of expenditure derived from official statistics in order to identify potential areas for policy adjustment.
Preferences for the allocation of healthcare expenditure appear to be relatively stable despite the effects of the pandemic. However, noticeable discrepancies exist between individual preferences and actual healthcare spending. Satisfaction with the healthcare system also remains relatively stable at a high level.
Overall, the scientific measurement of public preferences could support more informed political decision-making and contribute to sustained satisfaction with the healthcare system. In particular, the distribution of funds to different disease categories should be adjusted on the basis of such preferences, taking into account the respective medical indications after representative regular surveys have been carried out.
背景/目的：本研究通过实验设置分析了医疗保健系统中个人支出分配偏好的稳定性。了解这些偏好有助于为旨在实现医疗保健系统中稀缺资源更基于需求分配的政策决策提供支持。偏好的稳定性对于避免频繁的立法变更可能至关重要，并且有可能提高公众对医疗保健系统的满意度。
在德国马格德堡奥托-冯-格里克大学MaxLab的一次医疗保健研讨会上，通过在新冠疫情前后进行的两项基于问卷的实验研究评估个人偏好，每项研究约有160名参与者。本研究旨在作为一项更大规模后续面板研究的初步研究。特别是，问卷包含了关于对医疗保健系统的满意度、优化选项、可能的最大贡献以及对名义医疗保健预算和研究资金分配的偏好等问题，以便提供有关此类偏好稳定性的初步证据。由于数据是在新冠疫情前后收集的，这种情况的重大变化有助于明确显示稳定性。将收集到的偏好与官方统计数据得出的实际支出分配进行比较，以确定政策调整的潜在领域。
尽管受到疫情影响，医疗保健支出分配的偏好似乎相对稳定。然而，个人偏好与实际医疗支出之间存在明显差异。对医疗保健系统的满意度也在较高水平上保持相对稳定。
总体而言，对公众偏好的科学测量可以支持更明智的政治决策，并有助于维持对医疗保健系统的满意度。特别是，应在进行有代表性的定期调查并考虑各自的医学指征后，根据此类偏好调整资金在不同疾病类别的分配。
