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Erschienen in:
01.12.2008 | Original Article
Regional distribution effects of ‘needs planning’ for office-based physicians in Germany and Austria-methods and empirical findings
Erschienen in: Journal of Public Health | Ausgabe 6/2008
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Aim
To identify effects of ‘needs planning’ for doctors under contract with statutory health insurance in Austria and in Germany on the evenness of doctors’ geographical distribution.
Subjects and methods
Based on a description of ‘needs planning’ methods in both countries, the uneven regional distribution of general practitioners (n=59.724), ophthalmologists (n=5.789), otorhinolaryngologists (n=4.326) and urologists (n=2.903) is evaluated at the NUTS-3 level by ascertaining the respective Gini coefficients as well as by presentation of the Lorenz curve and cartographic analysis for ophthalmologists to serve as an example.
Results
The regional distribution disparity in all four specialities is less pronounced in Germany than in Austria. This difference can be seen most clearly for ophtalmologists (Gini coefficient 0.166 in Germany, 0.226 in Austria). However, a different result is obtained when ratios in Germany are compared with those of the contract specialists in Austria. In this comparison the regional distribution disparity for the general practitioners and otorhinolaryngologists in Germany is more pronounced than for the equivalent contract specialists in Austria. For ophthalmologists and urologists the situation is reversed, the difference for the urologists being the most striking (Gini coefficient 0.177 in Germany, 0.202 in Austria).
Conclusion
Practice planning for contract statutory health insurance doctors in Austria has an effect on the evenness of geographical distribution similar to that of needs planning in Germany. The role of needs planning in promoting an even geographical distribution of office-based doctors in Germany and Austria thus appears clear.