ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION RELATING TO THE IMPACT OF METEOROLOGICAL FACTORS ON HOSPITAL INPATIENT ADMISSIONS
ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION RELATING TO THE IMPACT OF METEOROLOGICAL FACTORS ON HOSPITAL INPATIENT ADMISSIONS

Summary/Abstract: This study examines the organization and management of information in connection with the effects of meteorological factors on the frequency and reasons for inpatient hospital admissions. The hospital is a complex organization whose medical treatment services for patients are influenced either by internal factors, such as available resources, or by external factors, for example, the weather. The aim is to analyze the information and communication process, which is important for hospital management and influenced by external environmental factors such as the weather. The study is conducted at the two sites of the Alfried Krupp Hospital in Essen using data from the period January 2012 to July 2024. Based on a total of 477,099 standardized patient and service data records as well as the weather data of the City of Essen, a quantitative, inductive research approach is chosen. The analysis shows that colder temperatures correlate with an increase in the number of inpatient admissions. This increase is particularly evident in elective, planned admissions and emergency admissions. In contrast, occupational accidents increased in number at warmer temperatures. However, no anomalies were found in cases of violence- or accident- related events. The study results nevertheless indicate a slightly significant relationship between weather and patient admissions. For hospital management, this still leads to important implications regarding the information and communication process. This process, as well as the development of an appropriate information system, forms the basis for the management of personnel and resource planning. A future study should develop an information model for hospitals that systematically links various external and internal factors from data sources.

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