• E M Bitzer, S Brüggemann, H Klosterhuis, and H Dörning.
• Institut für Sozialmedizin, Epidemiologie und Gesundheitssystemforschung-ISEG, Hannover. bitzer@iseg.org
• Rehabilitation (Stuttg). 2006 Aug 1; 45 (4): 203-12.

BackgroundDeveloped within the German Pension Insurance scheme's Guidelines programme, the Guideline for Rehabilitation in Coronary Artery Disease has been publicly available since January 2005. Pension Insurance routine data on the therapeutic benefits and services provided (based on the Classification of Therapeutic Procedures, KTL) were analyzed to assess the extent to which rehabilitation facilities had complied with Guideline requirements already in 2004. In January 2005, the results were disseminated together with the Guideline to the rehabilitation facilities which had participated in Pension Insurance rehabilitation of patients with coronary artery disease in 2004. In an accompanying survey information was requested concerning acceptability and applicability of the Guideline, of the presentation of KTL data, as well as reasons for non-adherence to Guideline requirements.MethodsIn February 2005 a written, anonymous survey was conducted among 72 clinical directors of rehabilitation facilities. The survey instrument contained three standardized questionnaires covering the aspects cited above. The response rate was 73.6 % (n = 53). Descriptive analyses were performed.ResultsViews of the Guideline: The Guideline fulfils most of the seven quality attributes surveyed (completely fulfilled: 11.3-32.7 %, basically fulfilled: 49.1-64.2 %). Volume, structure and clarity of the guideline are judged to be "very good" by 62.3 %, 50.9 % and 36.5 % of the respondents. The KTL-procedure codes forming part of the Guideline to be used to assess guideline adherence, were considered appropriate by 88.5 % to 98 %. Consent to Guideline requirements varies between 80.8 and 34.6 %. Views of the audit feedback based on KTL-data: Depending on the various data table types, 37.7 % to 20.0 % of the respondents stated that the tables should remain unchanged in future evaluations. 28.0 % to 39.0 % consider the tables to be very useful for quality management. Reasons for non-adherence to Guideline recommendations: according to the clinicians, the most important reason for deviation from Guideline requirements is incomplete or incorrect coding of therapeutic procedures.DiscussionThe Guideline for Rehabilitation in Coronary Artery Disease basically fulfils the formal, methodological and content-related quality criteria considered to be most relevant by the clinical directors. As expected, the greatest need for discussion is focussed on the actual Guideline requirements. Form and content of the KTL-feedback are well accepted, and the feedback itself is considered relevant for everyday practice. The main reason given for non-adherence to guideline requirements (i. e., inaccurate coding) should not be overstated as the KTL-analyses was based on data from 2004, when the guideline had not yet been published.ConclusionThe Guideline for Rehabilitation in Coronary Artery Disease is acceptable and practicable, and it is moreover tied in with external quality assurance activities in place (i. e., the quality assurance programme of the statutory Pension Insurance scheme). The audit feedback given in this framework provides rehabilitation facilities participating in the programme not only with comparative analyses but also with input for their internal quality management actions. Future activities within the external quality assurance programme should inter alia focus on more targeted implementation activities and repeated KTL-based appraisals.

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