Our nudge takes a stand against the silent tolerance of billing fraud in the healthcare sector. We rely on a sense of collective responsibility and remind employees of their professional and ethical values. Using a pop-up with emotionally resonant language and references to the industries’ codes of conduct, we encourage staff to help shape a fair and honest healthcare system.
Billing fraud in the healthcare sector, whether through phantom services, upcoding, or underqualification, costs our health and nursing care funds millions every year. This doesn’t just burden the healthcare system, but above all the insured: through rising contributions and declining trust. Experts estimate the actual damage to be significantly higher, as most cases of fraud remain hidden due to willful ignorance. And that’s exactly where we want to intervene.
With our nudge, we aim to encourage healthcare professionals to stay alert and take action when they notice irregularities in billing. Our goal is to lower the threshold for reporting potential fraud and to support existing compliance policies effectively. In doing so, we promote greater transparency, fair billing practices, and equitable treatment for all patients.
When no one reacts, it can easily create the impression that "it’s probably not a big deal."
Our nudge aims to counter this silence. Visible cues in the daily work environment signal
that many employees actively stand up for fairness. This helps establish social norms that
encourage moral courage and inspire others to follow suit.
In close-knit teams, it can be difficult to speak up about misconduct. Loyalty is often
confused with silence. Our approach emphasizes that responsibility toward patients and
colleagues also means not tolerating wrongdoing. In this way, we promote loyalty to the
institution’s values rather than to problematic behavior.
Our target group consists of healthcare professionals. This includes individuals directly
involved in billing processes or those who may encounter irregularities in their daily work.
Administrative staff responsible for organizational or oversight tasks are also part of the
target group.
Stefanie.stubbe@stud.hshl.de
Noelle.kaeuper@stud.hshl.de
Malin.glunz@stud.hshl.de
