Suchergebnisse

'The concentration of care on hospitals with high case numbers is good news for the chances of survival of very small premature babies. This is because scientific studies clearly show that with a higher number of cases, the complication rates and mortality risk of the children treated are lower,' emphasises Jens Martin Hoyer, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the AOK-Bundesverband. 'The decision of the Federal Joint Committee to increase the minimum volumes is now having an effect - and that makes absolute sense in terms of patient safety.' However, it is possible that individual maternity wards may still be authorised to provide care by the responsible state authority despite falling below the minimum quantity. 'These locations are then added to the AOK map, but with a special colour coding and with details of the last case numbers achieved,' says Hoyer.

'Better Evidence, better Decisions, better Health'. This motto, which made the rounds on the first day of the 22nd German Congress for Health Services Research, was used by Prof Dr Lutz Hager, Chairman of the Board of the Bundesverband Managed Care e. V., at the beginning of his introduction to the BMC symposium 'Evaluating health regions: Which quality indicators do we need to look at?' According to Hager, this trio is 'exactly what brings us together at the link between theory and practice', as healthcare research also provides the basis for healthcare provision and its further development. This is also the 'big topic at the BMC'. Hager: 'We are talking about a transformation, a comprehensive change in healthcare.' The large-scale transformation project in particular already shows that 'health services research and health services science are not only involved, but also required'.

'Patients need to know what the data is for, what the data means for them personally and, of course, for other patients,' explained Prof. Tjalf Ziemssen, MD, Director of the Centre for Clinical Neurosciences and Deputy Clinic Director of the Clinic and Polyclinic for Neurology at the Centre for Clinical Neurosciences at the Neurological University Hospital Dresden at the Roche Pharma DKVF Symposium entitled 'Data use as an end in itself or for the benefit of the patient?'. According to Ziemssen, it has often been the case in the past that although attempts have been made to obtain more and more data from patients in order to conduct research and introduce innovations, this is usually done without the patient benefiting directly or being able to understand what the data means for them personally. As a negative example, Mr Ziemssen cited the electronic patient file, which would have no structure that the patient would not be able to deal with operationally. The concept of the 'digital twin', which he propagates, is different (see interview page 22 ff).

Over 600 researchers from various disciplines, including 40 from the field of health research, have co-signed a two-part open letter (1, 2) written by the recently founded 'Pandemic Reappraisal Initiative' (3). This initiative is the brainchild of astrophysicist Prof Dr Bernhard Müller from Monash University (Australia), who is associated with the group of authors led by Prof Dr Matthias Schrappe (University of Cologne), which has critically examined corona management in Germany since the outbreak of the corona pandemic with eight thesis papers and four ad hoc statements (4) as well as a multi-professional commentary series (5) - all published in 'Monitor Versorgungsforschung'. In addition, Müller published a widely acclaimed controversial paper 'Zur Modellierung der Coronapandemie' (6). While these scientific works were intended to show that scientific and diagnostic findings are indispensable in pandemics, but are not sufficient on their own to successfully overcome such a crisis, the Open Letters are now intended to support the call for a review of the corona pandemic and the establishment of a commission of enquiry on the one hand, and to facilitate the start of a necessary review process by means of a prioritisation and structuring catalogue on the other.

'Dear health services researchers, we have finally achieved what we have been working for.' With these enthusiastic words, Prof Dr Wolfgang Hoffmann, Chairman of the German Network for Health Services Research (DNVF), opened the 22nd DKVF, which took place at the Urania in Berlin at the beginning of October. The reason for his delight was the fact that - Hoffmann continued - the Innovation Committee recommends the transfer to standard care for 17 projects from the first and second funding waves of the new forms of care, but above all that the results of care research - including those of the 'WiZen' innovation fund project, which was able to demonstrate the superiority of initial therapy in the primary treatment of cancer patients in certified centres - form an evidence base for the recommendations of the government commission for hospital reform. However, this is also precisely what the DNVF Chairman reminded the research community gathered at the German Congress for Health Services Research. Since health services research is now systemically relevant, this not only entails growing responsibility, but also has serious consequences: 'Health services research now has critics.' Because, according to Hoffmann: 'Our results, recommendations and priorities are now more likely to have consequences, they affect care providers, shift the balance of power and change financial flows.'

'A decision that supports and strengthens Germany as a business location' (Habeck); 'A really good day for Germany' (Lauterbach). It is rare for two federal ministers - Prof Dr Karl Lauterbach (Health) and Dr Robert Habeck (Economics and Vice-Chancellor) - to appear together at a press conference organised by a pharmaceutical company. All that was missing was Bettina Stark-Watzinger, Federal Minister of Education and Research, to round off the triumvirate of ministries significantly involved in the topic. After all, the research-based pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Company announced far-reaching investment plans in Germany in Berlin: from 2024, the construction of a new high-tech production facility in Alzey - subject to the approval of the state authorities - is to begin at a cost of 2.3 billion euros. Around 1,900 employees will initially work in the new production network, rising to around 1,000 after completion in 2027.

Back in February of this year, the German Hospital Federation (DKG) submitted a comprehensive structural and financing proposal to the current debate on a major hospital reform in Germany. As Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach and the government commission he had appointed had presented a comprehensive reform concept for hospitals in Germany, but neither the government commission nor the Federal Health Minister had presented a concrete impact analysis, the DKG commissioned the research institute Institute for Health Care Business (hcb) in cooperation with Vebeto to carry out such an analysis.

With the fourth event on the topic of vaccination, 'Monitor Versorgungsforschung' is expanding its view to European best practice approaches on the one hand and to very practical findings from low-threshold vaccination services already existing in Germany, both in pharmacies and in companies as well as in the broad, but so far not very well-known field of activity of the public health service on the other.

Pflegekräfte bekommen mehr Zeit für Patientinnen und Patienten. Der Bestand von Krankenhäusern mit einer Fachabteilung für Geburtshilfe und die stationäre Versorgung von Kindern und Jugendlichen werden gesichert. Die Finanzierung der Hebammen wird verbessert und die ambulante Behandlung gefördert. Die Versorgungssituation für Long-Covid-Patient:innen wird verbessert: Mit dem am 29. Dezember 2022 in Kraft getretenen Krankenhaus-Pflegeentlastungsgesetz hat die Bundesregierung viele weitreichende Neuregelungen auf den Weg gebracht. So unter anderem auch die Neufassung des § 115f SGB V. Dieser Paragraf führt "eine spezielle sektorengleiche Vergütung für diejenigen Leistungen des Katalogs nach § 115b ein, die bislang überwiegend stationär erbracht und abgerechnet wurden. Das Zi-Format "Insights" beschäftigte sich Ende November mit dem Thema und rief dazu die Ideengeber aufs virtuelle Podium.

Franz Knieps, Vorstand des BKK Dachverband, brachte zehn Metathemen aus Sicht der Krankenkassen, aber vor allem aus seiner persönlichen Perspektive und jahrelangen Erfahrung als Abteilungsleiter im Bundesministerium für Gesundheit unter Ministerin Ulla Schmidt ein. Aus klinischer Sicht formulierte Prof. Dr. Wolfram Herrmann, Plattform – Charité Versorgungsforschung, Institut für Allgemeinmedizin, auf dem MVF-Fachkongress "Priorisierungskatalog Versorgungsforschung" sieben konkrete Fragen an die Versorgungsforschung.