Restructuring French hospitals. Some problems and some solutions

Hospitals are the sick component of the healthcare sector in many European countries and have been so for a long time. As long as 10 years ago, economists noted the urgent need for hospitals to restructure. During the last 5 years, there has been a surge in hospital mergers, closures and revamping throughout France. Yet, the results have been mixed. The number of hospital beds is down, but expenses are not, and new demands for services are not being met. Why are there still problems? It is because there are still significant socio-political, conceptual, and financial obstacles to successful restructuring. Consideration by the author of a case study in which would-be competitors achieve a win-win restructuring illustrates the conditions that must be addressed for there to be a chance of success.