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The Freiburg/Bad Säckingen Rehabilitation Research Network aims on problem solutions in rehabilitation in Germany. The core concept of the Research Group is "goal orientation in diagnosis, therapy and evaluation". This concept refers to both individual goals of patients and structural measures. The 13 projects of the Research Group deal with topics such as "specific communication problems in rehabilitation", "differential indication", "health economics", "methods", and "intervention and evaluation". To establish a long-term internal network in the Research Group and to facilitate intensive communication and co-operation between the various university-based and non-university-based institutions of rehabilitation in the Research Group area, Project Management and Methodological Support Offices were created.

Within quality assurance in medical rehabilitation, patient satisfaction is viewed as one of the essential features. Patient satisfaction is expected to comprehensively cover structure, process and outcome quality. The aim of our study was to evaluate factors on which patient satisfaction with the rehabilitation measure depends. Sociodemographic factors, diagnosis at admission, characteristics of treatment, and the time of evaluation were considered. Furthermore, we examined whether four orthopedic-rheumatologic rehabilitation hospitals differ in respect of patient satisfaction and how patient satisfaction is associated with the result of treatment. Data collection was conducted in four German rehabilitation hospitals. Patient satisfaction was assessed in 1832 patients with an orthopedicrheumatologic disease as first diagnosis three months after discharge, using a postal questionnaire (Raspe et al. 1996). Additionally, 153 patients were assessed at the end of the rehabilitation measure. Besides the satisfaction with the treatment, its result was documented for 100 patients. For all sections of the questionnaire no or small differences could be demonstrated with respect to gender, age, education, and diagnosis. The questionnaire can differentiate between treating physicians and hospitals. The time of questioning had no influence. No relevant correlation existed between patient satisfaction and result of the treatment. The questionnaire assessing patient satisfaction can be applied with little expenditure. The acceptance is high. The questionnaire can assess the current status of many areas of rehabilitation practice, so that quality assurance measures could be introduced immediately. A comparison between hospitals is possible and reveals strengths and weaknesses. Thus, the questionnaire may be used as a quality assurance measure for hospitals and for health care providers. This tool may be used routinely for monitoring and for longitudinal evaluations.