"Outpatient transformation in the OR" - What is the idea behind the book?

Many inpatient treatments can also be carried out on an outpatient basis, which could relieve both financial and human resources in the healthcare system. Back in July, we reported on RWU Professor Jan-Marc Hodek's contribution to the anthology on the topic of outpatient surgery in Germany. Alongside him, Professor Axel Olaf Kern is also part of the authorship. We spoke to him and Philipp Henßler, one of the two editors of the book, about the development and background of the book "Ambulante Transformation im OP".

Philipp Henßler not only works as the founder and managing director of RINKE+HENSSLER GmbH as a consultant for outpatient transformation processes, including in hospitals, but also as a lecturer at RWU in the health economics program. "Outpatient transformations in the operating theater are necessary from an economic perspective, among other things, because many treatment processes in hospitals in particular are lengthy and correspondingly costly. As we know many experts in the field of outpatient transformation, we came up with the idea of publishing an anthology together last year," says the editor. He has been working in various roles in the healthcare sector for a number of years, including as a clinic director and paramedic.

The anthology has now been published by the medizinisch wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft and contains contributions from over 25 authors. One of these contributions comes from Professor Axel Olaf Kern - the interview with him deals with the topic of demographic change, an aspect that should be taken into account in outpatient transformation processes in Germany. In addition to this topic area, the anthology contains further background information, legal principles, theoretical approaches and practical experience in relation to outpatient transformation processes in the OR. Ideally, these should increase the efficiency of medical treatments, both for patients and for employees in the healthcare sector.

"Many of these topics are also part of my work as a lecturer at RWU. For three years now, I've been working with students on the factors and costs that play a role in the healthcare sector," says Phillipp Henßler. Historically and politically, there have always been changes here that will also have to be considered in the healthcare sector in the future.