Strategies for Successful Hospital-Based Outpatient Care: Insights from Switzerland and Germany

The effective and financially sustainable shift towards outpatient care in hospitals requires adjustments in infrastructure, processes, and personnel. This contribution validates and extends the existing literature by conducting expert interviews in Switzerland and Germany. Establishing transparent cost and performance data is a crucial first step. Subsequently, key organizational success factors—such as spatial and functional planning, staffing concepts, digital and AI-assisted process optimization, and collaborations—must be adapted. The findings indicate that there is no universal approach to outpatient integration. However, the adaptation of these success factors and the insights gained serve as essential milestones towards an economically viable hospital-based outpatient care model.