The era of centers: the influence of establishing specialized centers on patients’ choice of hospital

Purpose It is considered that establishing accredited specialized centers can serve as a marketing tool. This study investigated whether accredited specialized centers influence patients’ choice of hospital. Methods A total of 2,389 patients was included in a questionnaire survey: 468 at the Department of Gynecology, 745 at the certified University Breast Center of Franconia, 1,000 at the University Perinatal Center of Franconia and 176 for whom classification details were lacking. Results Among the oncological patients, physicians in private practice played an important role in the choice of hospital (58.4 vs. 25.7%; P