Table 5 Important criteria for hospital choice (multiple response) for those respondents who choose the hospital themselves

Personal experience with this hospital through previous hospitalisation, of these:

709

58.7

55.9–61.5

with multiple response

404

33.5

30.8–36.2

without multiple response

305

25.3

22.8–27.8

Good hospital reputation

364

30.2

27.6–32.8

Recommended by outpatient doctors (family doctor, specialist)

358

29.7

27.1–32.3

Distance from home

301

24.9

22.5–27.3

Recommended by relatives

252

20.9

18.6–23.2

Whether physicians take enough time for patients

164

13.6

11.7–15.5

Other reasons

146

12.1

10.3–13.9

Whether patients are included in treatment decisions

116

9.6

7.9–11.3

Whether medical-technical equipment is state-of-the-art

77

6.4

5.0–7.8

Treatment success record for my type of intervention

45

3.7

2.6–4.8

Accessibility of hospital by public transport

43

3.6

2.5–4.7

Whether the hospital adheres to all rules of hygiene

37

3.1

2.1–4.1

Waiting times up to admission

35

2.9

2.0–3.8

How often the hospital performs my type of intervention

32

2.7

1.8–3.6

How other patients rate the hospital in a satisfaction survey

23

1.9

1.1–2.7

How often complications occur after the intervention I require

19

1.6

0.9–2.3

Whether the hospital adheres to medical guidelines

19

1.6

0.9–2.3

How often infections occur among patients of this hospital

16

1.3

0.7–1.9

How many patients die in the intervention I require

7

0.6

57.2–62.8