Regionale Versorgungsunterschiede

Mapping regional variations in health care or disease rates provides useful descriptive information. However only a selection and analysis of health care indicators that is guided by theory can help us understand if regional variation is warranted or unwarranted. The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care Project distinguishes three categories of variation in health care which allow for sensible interpretation of rates. Effective care, supply-sensitive care and preference sensitive care. Previous literature furthermore introduced the concept of care-sensitive health outcomes. The underlying notion of the concept is that specific deaths or hospitalizations can potentially be prevented by effective and timely health care. The short article introduces the reader to basic theories of regional variation in health care.