Bundesgesundheitsblatt, Gesundheitsforschung, Gesundheitsschutz
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Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz · Feb 2006
Comparative Study[The German Medical Association support initiative on health care research].
The 108th German Medical Assembly adopted a 6-year support initiative for health care research in order to contribute to the further development of this young scientific discipline which has not yet been sufficiently established in Germany. The program is focussed on the following subjects: (1) influence of economic changes on outpatient and inpatient medical care, (2) implementation of medical guidelines in medical routine and (3) the physician factor. Setting methodical standards in this new field and opening up access to medical data should provide a relevant impulse to health care research in Germany. The promoting strategy of the German Medical Association will be completed by initiating a network of scientists, research promoters and health care players.
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Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz · Feb 2006
Comparative Study[Methods in health services research. The example of the evaluation of the German disease management programmes].
According to the established definition of Pfaff, health services research analyses patients' path through the institutions of the health care system. The focus is on development, evaluation and implementation of innovative measures of health care. By increasing its quality health services research strives for an improvement of efficacy and efficiency of the health care system. ⋯ For the purpose of managing its tasks adequately a special combination of instruments and methodological procedures is needed. Thus, diverse techniques of evaluation research as well as special requirements for study designs and assessment procedures are of vital importance. The example of the German disease management programmes illustrates the methodical requirements for a scientific evaluation.
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Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz · Feb 2006
[Patient safety in hospitals--a health services research issue].
Health services research as a multidisciplinary approach to transfer scientific results and clinical experience to health care includes quality research as one of its main topics. Quality research describes the total of conditions, which hinder or promote quality of care as one important output factor of health care. At present, patient safety research is one of the central issues of quality research, as preventable adverse events represent the most substantial consequences of problems in quality. ⋯ Reporting instruments including critical incident reporting systems have to be validated, patient safety indicators should be developed, under consideration of the use of administrative data. Patient safety research addresses the effect of public disclosure of adverse events, errors and injury in respect to improvement of care and should analyse as well as elaborate prevention strategies for the most important adverse events and errors. Team factors such as communication and supervision and determinants of safety culture are issues, which illustrate the significant role of management theory and organisational research.