Health economics in practice (GiP): Joint practical project between the Ludwigshafen City Hospital and Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences
Students of the dual Bachelor's degree program in Health Economics in Practice (GiP) of the HWG LU implemented a practical project in the field of workplace health promotion with a long-standing cooperation partner of the degree programs, the Ludwigshafen City Hospital, in the summer semester of 2025. The case study "Workplace health promotion at Ludwigshafen Hospital" aimed to evaluate the already established workplace health promotion (WHP) measures at Ludwigshafen Hospital in terms of their effectiveness as an instrument for employee recruitment and retention. Particular attention was paid to the patient-related areas, which are characterized by high physical and mental stress.
The stress levels for staff are particularly high in patient-related areas such as nursing and medical care. In order to be perceived as an attractive employer and to retain staff at Klinikum Ludwigshafen in the long term, the hospital has been investing in the health of its employees for a long time. However, offering targeted workplace health promotion measures is a challenge that particularly affects the patient-facing area. The question arises as to how the measures in these special areas of work can be made more sustainable and to what extent the existing offers are accepted by the employees.
This is where the current case study of the Bachelor's degree course "Health Economics in Practice" (GiP) at the Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society (HWG LU) under the direction of Prof. Dr. Eveline Häusler and Prof. Dr. Elke Raum comes in: As part of a joint project, the aim was to systematically work out which proven health promotion measures exist, how they can be transferred to the specific circumstances at Ludwigshafen Hospital and how their effectiveness can be proven. A central component of the project was to survey the relevant target groups at the hospital in order to identify their needs, expectations and potential obstacles to implementation.
The analysis was based on internal documents and a thorough literature search, including internet sources, specialist publications and standardized questionnaires. With the help of a standardized online survey at Klinikum Ludwigshafen, implementation-relevant and sustainable measures to improve employee health were developed, particularly in patient-related areas.
In June, the team of five fourth-semester students finally presented their results and derived recommendations for action at the hospital - with a practical focus and compared with best practice examples.
"Working on this project has not only helped us enormously professionally, but also personally. As a team, we learned how to analyze things together in a structured way, bring in different perspectives and develop practical solutions. It was particularly exciting to come into direct contact with the hospital staff and incorporate their experiences into our recommendations," the students concluded.
"Practical projects like these are an integral part of the degree programs. They make it possible to experience how application-oriented learning and academic education can be successfully interlinked," said Prof. Dr. Eveline Häusler, explaining the concept behind the case studies, and Prof. Dr. Raum added how important it is that the cooperation partners of the GiP degree programs are willing to suggest and support suitable projects. Anne-Marie Engler, who accompanied the cooperation project on behalf of Ludwigshafen Hospital, was also satisfied: "The results confirm the high importance of workplace health promotion at KliLu and also prove that the visibility of the offers can be further improved," said Engler.
Prospective students have until mid-August to apply for the dual Bachelor's degree course in Health Economics with a practical component, starting in the winter semester 2025/2026.
Further information on the GiP degree programs can be found at:www.hwg-lu.de/studium/bachelor/gesundheitsoekonomie-im-praxisverbund-dual
Contact:
Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society
Department of Management, Controlling, HealthCare
Prof. Dr. Eveline Häusler / Prof. Dr. Elke Raum
Head of Health Economics in Practice (GiP)
Tel. 621/5203-135 or - 126
Email: eveline.haeusler@hwg-lu.de / elke.raum@hwg-lu.de
Klinikum der Stadt Ludwigshafen am Rhein
Anne-Marie Engler
Team Leader Human Resources Development
Klinikum Ludwigshafen
Bremserstraße 79
67063 Ludwigshafen
