CERGAS Webinar "Regional differences in the access to accredited cancer care – The influence of regional innovation systems in Germany"

Background:

A central aspect of improving quality of care is the diffusion of innovation from research into practice. One way to facilitate this process is program accreditation. By conceptualization, innovation activities and accreditation require different competencies and processes. While this may hinder the uptake of accreditation, the effect of innovation activities on the diffusion of accreditation is mostly unknown. In this study, we aim to evaluate this relationship in the context of accredited organ cancer centers in Germany.

Methods:

We perform a retrospective study at district level combining scientific publications as measures for innovation activities and accreditation data for eight cancer sites from 1998-2017. Scientific publication data was obtained from the National Library of Medicine and mapped to the authors’ geolocation using the MapAffil tool. Regional accreditation status and timing is provided by the German Cancer Society. We evaluate the effect of innovation activities on accreditation status, estimating linear probability models including accreditation type fixed effects. We consider cancer incidence, gross domestic product and hospital competition as confounders of innovation activities.

Results:

Regions with any publications have a 9.6% higher probability to have at least one accredited cancer center. Sub-group analysis for breast cancer suggests that about 60% of districts had no breast cancer publications before initiation of the accreditation program. In comparison to these district, districts with up to 20 publications (90th percentile) had on average 0.174 accredited centers more one year and 0.25 centers more three years after initiation. Districts in the highest 10% by publication activity had on average 0.377 accredited centers more one year and 0.846 centers more three years after initiation.

Discussion:

Innovation activities and accreditation are no contradictory strategies in specialized cancer care. New incentives for accreditation might increase quality of cancer care in regions with fewer innovation activities.

Speaker: Tim Brand, University of Duisburg-Essen (Germany)

Tim Brand studied Health Economics at the University of Cologne in Bachelor and Master. Between 2014 and 2019 he worked as a research associate in the field of "Healthcare Management" at the Winterthur Institute of Health Economics of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW). There, he carried out research and consulting projects for different stakeholders in the healthcare system. As a research associate at the University of Duisburg-Essen, his research is focused on innovation and certification of German cancer centers.

Please note that the participation to the webinar will be in online mode only.

Link zoom: https://unibocconi-it.zoom.us/j/94150187865?pwd=ZkdxeDJlWXJvWE0zbUlsWEt2V001Zz09

Meeting ID: 941 5018 7865

Passcode: 514853