Der Schmerz
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Occupational therapy, as a rehabilitative treatment is an essential part of multimodal therapy for complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). The goals of the treatment and the methods vary greatly for this condition, because they are subject to the changing symptomatology. ⋯ This allows treatment methods, such as mental exercises or sensory exercises to improve the processing of pain-triggering perceptual stimuli at an early stage. Alongside the classical movement exercises and advice on aids, special treatment methods, such as mirror therapy, neurocognitive rehabilitation according to Perfetti or the graded exposure concept can also be beneficial for CRPS patients.
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Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic classroom teaching was largely discontinued at all German medical faculties in the summer semester (SS) 2020. This also affected undergraduate education in palliative care, which is established with an average of 22 teaching units. Teachers were asked to rapidly develop digital teaching and assessment tools. ⋯ The design of examinations in SS 2020 is rated worse in the self-evaluation than the teaching design. Multiple choice questions were often used in classroom examinations. Lecturers would like the DGP to create and collect teaching and assessment materials centrally.
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Health care provision for patients with pain and risk factors for chronicity is still insufficient and characterized in particular by over-, under- and misuse of existing approaches. The PAIN2020 project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Health Care (Innovationsfonds 01NVF17049) and aims to improve health care delivery for this group of patients by implementing an early ambulatory diagnostic approach by a pain specialist, resulting in an improvement in pain and restored or maintained function. A randomized clinical trial in 31 facilities Germany-wide will identify eligible patients and guide them into early specialized pain diagnostics. ⋯ In a second evaluation arm the clinical data of the included patients will be supplemented by secondary data from a statutory health insurance (BARMER) and compared to a sample of policyholders not addressed by the study. Data analyses will be performed by an external evaluation institute. The project started in April 2018.
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To investigate the development in palliative care education in Germany, numerous surveys have been conducted since 2006. They showed differences of palliative care education between the faculties before and after the implementation of palliative care as a mandatory subject. The present study aims to document the status of palliative care education at German medical faculties in 2018. ⋯ This study showed clear progression in palliative care education. Nevertheless, there is still room for improvement in terms of examination formats and professorships. Complementary surveys with students would be helpful to evaluate the education outcome.