Dtsch Arztebl Int
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A central component of the German antibiotic resistance strategy is to monitor the outpatient prescribing of systemic antibiotics nationwide, across all of the statutory health-insurance providers, in order to provide a basis for targeted quality-assurance measures. ⋯ The observed nationwide decline in the prescription of antibiotics to outpatients in all age groups may be a result of the numerous initiatives that have been put into action to reinforce the appropriate use of antibiotics in Germany. A change in pediatric prescribing practices is demonstrated by the marked reduction in this age group. The remaining major differences across German regions underscore the importance of regionally tailored programs for the promotion of rational antibiotic use.
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Hearing impairment that is too severe to be adequately treated with conventional hearing aids can lead, in children, to severe developmental disturbances of hearing and language, and, in adults, to communicative and social deprivation. Recent advances in medical device technology and in microsurgical techniques have led to an expansion of the indications for cochlear implantation (CI) for adults with progressive hearing loss in older age, and to a restructuring of the process of care for these patients in Germany. ⋯ Cochlear implantation, performed in specialized centers, is a safe and reliable technique and regularly enables the successful rehabilitation of hearing in both children and adults.