The German Spa and Health Resort Industry in the Light of Health Care System Reforms

Pforr, Christof; Locher, Cornelia

doi:10.1080/10548408.2012.666175

Cited by 34 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…19 In the light of growing financial pressures on the country's health insurance system, the Kur has, however, been targeted over the past two decades as an area where public spending should be significantly reduced; this caused considerable challenges for Germany's accredited spas and health resorts after decades of enormous growth. 6 Today, the Deutsche Heilbäderverband (German Spa Association) oversees the accreditation of towns to become officially recognized German Kurorte (health resorts and spa towns), which are easily identified by the prefix Bad (''bath''). These towns, which have to meet strict quality standards, can be classified as mineral, thermal and mud spa resorts; climate health resorts; seaside spas and resorts; health resorts with medical tunnel and radon therapy; and also as Kneipp health resorts.…”

Section: Kneipp Kurmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Germany, for example, the ''Kneipp Cure'' was recognized in 1953 as a legitimate form of rehabilitation therapy reimbursable through the country's public health insurance fund and has remained so, albeit to a lesser extent, to this day. 6 In this light, it is surprising that Kneipp's holistic approach to health and healing, as well as the popularity his teachings still enjoy to this day in many countries in continental Europe, appears to be little known in the English-speaking world. On the basis of a detailed analysis of primary and secondary data sources, this paper aims to provide interesting insights into Kneipp's life and his healing philosophy and to highlight the profound influence he has had on natural and preventive medicine.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

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The Legacy of Sebastian Kneipp: Linking Wellness, Naturopathic, and Allopathic Medicine

Locher

Pforr

2014

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine

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Sebastian Kneipp (1821-1897) is seen as a vital link between the European nature cure movement of the 19th century and American naturopathy. He promoted a holistic treatment concept founded on five pillars: hydro- and phytotherapy, exercise, balanced nutrition, and regulative therapy. Kneipp attempted to bridge the gap with allopathic medicine, and many modern treatments that are based on his methods indeed blend wellness elements with naturopathic medicine and biomedicine. Because Kneipp's approach to health and healing today are mainly covered in German literature, this paper aims to provide a broader international audience with insights into his life and his treatment methods and to highlight the profound influence Kneipp has had to this day on natural and preventive medicine. The paper emphasizes in particular the continued popularity of Kneipp's holistic approach to health and well-being, which is evident in the many national and international Kneipp Associations, the globally operating Kneipp Werke, postgraduate qualifications in his treatment methods, and the existence of more than 60 accredited Kneipp spas and health resorts in Germany alone.

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Section: Kneipp Kurmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

The Legacy of Sebastian Kneipp: Linking Wellness, Naturopathic, and Allopathic Medicine

Locher

Pforr

2014

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine

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“…In recent decades both in Spain and elsewhere, thermalism studies have promoted a reconceptualization in light of the recent changes in the concern for wellbeing and health that are taking place in the societies of developed countries (Fontanari and Kern, 2003; Pforr and Locher, 2012). These changes in lifestyle habits aimed at a search for a healthier lifestyle (in relation to body-mind balance), have translated into new demands in the thermal sector (Dryglas and Rózycki, 2017; García-Altés, 2005; Gil de Arriba, 2000; Smith and Puczkó, 2015).…”

Section: Thermalism In the Last Decades: Changes In Demand And Supplymentioning

confidence: 99%

Spa tourism opportunities as strategic sector in aiding recovery from Covid-19: The Spanish model

Navarrete

Shaw

2020

Tourism and Hospitality Research

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Spa tourism has been experiencing over the last decades significant changes in its nature. Supply and demand have changed in recent years, impacting on the function of thermal centers in general, and on the use of their base resource, mineral-medicinal water, in particular. Recently, this productive sector has been forced to resituate itself due to the unexpected outbreak of the Covid pandemic whose impacts on the sector are still to be fully calibrated, although it has already halted a large part of economic activity and global flows of people and goods. The present investigation examines the function and potential that spas have as health agents. In the case of Spain, this research note reflects on the opportunities, for a repositioning of this activity in the tourist dynamics that arise during and after a period of crisis.

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“…Smith and Puczkó [24] described regional and cultural differences in understandings of European health and wellness tourism in Northern, Western, Southern, Central and Eastern Europe. It is difficult to compare medical services provided in the Slovak spas with those of other destinations [25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35]. This is due to the different legislative framework in each country.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Economic Impact of the Health Insurance System on Slovak Medical Spas and Mineral Spring Spas

2020

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The article deals with the financing of spa undertakings through the health insurance system. The analysis is based on the financial statements of 28 spa undertakings operating in the Slovak Republic, their contracts with the individual health insurance companies and secondary data sources (accommodation statistics of these undertakings, the number of medical stays paid by clients themselves and of those covered by public health insurance, the spa treatment expenditure of the health insurance companies, the percentage of this expenditure out of the total expenditure spent by the health insurance companies on health care). The still significant percentage of revenues from the health insurance companies out of the total revenues of spa undertakings shows the prevalence of the medical nature of spa care. At the same time, it reflects the current tax measures related to the spa industry and shows that the introduction of a recreation allowance might influence the future development of spa care.

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The German Spa and Health Resort Industry in the Light of Health Care System Reforms

Cited by 34 publications

References 9 publications

The Legacy of Sebastian Kneipp: Linking Wellness, Naturopathic, and Allopathic Medicine

The Legacy of Sebastian Kneipp: Linking Wellness, Naturopathic, and Allopathic Medicine

Spa tourism opportunities as strategic sector in aiding recovery from Covid-19: The Spanish model

Economic Impact of the Health Insurance System on Slovak Medical Spas and Mineral Spring Spas

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