Evaluation studyHow can we ensure that hospital work is future-proof?
13 April 2026, by Hannes Rathjen
Photo: AdobeStock/Andrey Popov
The “Arbeiten 5.0” project at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) is testing new work schedule models and structures to improve working conditions in nursing. Researchers at the Hamburg Center for Health Economics are evaluating the project. Over a four-year period, Theresa Maurer and Prof. Dr. Eva-Maria Wild investigated whether measures such as flexible working hours (e.g., short shifts) and structured team briefings can alleviate the shortage of skilled workers and improve the quality of care. The results of the analysis of over 130 wards show that flexibility improves work-life balance, and clear processes promote collaboration. About 60% of respondents rate the optimized processes positively. Nevertheless, time pressure and stress often hinder implementation. The evaluation now provides hospitals with an evidence-based foundation for deploying resources specifically where they generate measurable benefits for staff and patients.
The interview with Theresa Mauer and Prof. Dr. Eva Wild can be found here.
The evaluation of the Arbeiten 5.0 project will be conducted from 2022 to 2026 by the team led by Theresa Maurer, Eva-Maria Wild, and Fenja Hoogestraat. Maurer is a research associate on the “Healthcare Management” professorship headed by Prof. Dr. Jonas Schreyögg at the University of Hamburg Business School and at the Hamburg Center for Health Economics (HCHE)—a joint research center of the University of Hamburg and the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf that combines expertise in economics and social sciences with medical expertise and is one of the largest health economics research institutions in Europe. The project is led by Prof. Dr. Eva-Maria Wild. Until 2025, she was a professor of Business Administration, specializing in health care management, at the University of Hamburg Business School. She is currently a professor of Health Services Research at the University of Siegen and an associate member of the HCHE.
