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Background: General practitioners (GPs) are essential for providing and maintaining health care during a pandemic. Pandemic preparedness (PP) of GPs can play a vital role in their management of a pandemic situation. This study aimed to examine the association stockpiled personal protective equipment (PPE) and knowledge of pandemic plans on perceived PP among German GPs. This analysis is part of the research project COVID-GAMS (Funding code: 01KI2099). Methods: Three multivariable linear regression models were developed based on an online cross-sectional survey for the period March-April 2020 (the onset of the pandemic in Germany). Data were collected using self-developed items on self-assessed PP and knowledge of a pandemic plan and its utility. The stock of seven PPE items was queried. For PPE items, three different PPE scores were compared. Control variables for all models were gender and age. Results: 508 GPs were included in the study; 65.16% believed that they were very poorly or poorly prepared. Furthermore, 13.83% of GPs were aware of a pandemic plan; 40% rated those plans as beneficial. The stock of FFP-2/3 masks, protective suits, face shields, safety glasses, and medical face masks were mostly considered completely insufficient or insufficient, whereas disposable gloves and disinfectants were considered sufficient or completely sufficient. The stock of PPE was significantly positively associated with PP and had the largest effect on PP across all models; the association of the knowledge of a pandemic plan was significant but considerably smaller. PPE scores did not vary considerably in their explanatory power. The assessment of a pandemic plan as beneficial did not significantly affect PP. Conclusions: An adequate stockpile of PPE is essential for perceived pandemic preparedness among GPs. Pandemic plans are considered less important for GPs. General practitioners, health authorities, and policy makers should focus on stockpiling PPE for future pandemic emergencies. Key messages: Sufficient stockpiled personal protective equipment is the most important factor influencing pandemic preparedness of general practitioners in Germany. Knowledge on a pandemic plan has a subordinate effect on pandemic preparedness of general practitioners; usefulness of a pandemic plan does not have a significant effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The challenging transition to parenthood affects both mothers and fathers; yet, the strain intensifies with a premature birth in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), underscoring the importance of acknowledging and addressing potential differences in parental roles., Purpose: This paper aimed to investigate how parental role conflicts among mothers and fathers of preterm-born infants hospitalized in German NICUs manifest and investigated potential parental resources., Methods: Twenty-four participants, 17 mothers, and seven fathers of very low birth-weight infants were interviewed. A thematic content analysis was performed at a semantic level., Results: Fathers feel pressured to fulfill the role expectations, often leading to the suppression of paternal feelings and needs. For mothers, deviating from societal expectations regarding their expressive roles can be distressing, as they worry that such deviation might hinder their infants from having a successful start in life. Consulting with healthcare professionals shows to ease challenges for both parental roles., Implications for Practice and Research: Maternal and paternal challenges are often rooted in expectations placed on their societal roles. Highlighting these challenges can be essential for increasing awareness and effectively addressing them. Tailored nursing practices may have the potential to facilitate individuals' navigation of uncertainties and fulfillment of caregiving roles., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 by The National Association of Neonatal Nurses.)

Purpose: Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) offers several key advantages, including enhanced patient quality of life, reduced healthcare costs, and a potential reduction of nosocomial infections. It is acknowledged for its safety and effectiveness. This study provides the first systematic clinical data for Germany, where OPAT has not yet been widely adopted. The aim is to establish a foundational reference point for further research and integration of OPAT into the German healthcare system., Methods: This prospective observational study descriptively analyses data obtained from a cohort of patients receiving OPAT. Both in- and outpatients from all medical specialties could be recruited. Patients administered the anti-infective medications themselves at home using elastomeric pumps., Results: 77 patients received OPAT, with a median duration of 15 days and saving 1782 inpatient days. The most frequently treated entities were orthopaedic infections (n = 20, 26%), S. aureus bloodstream infection (n = 16, 21%) and infectious endocarditis (n = 11, 14%). The most frequently applied drugs were flucloxacillin (n = 18, 23%), penicillin G (n = 13, 17%) and ceftriaxone (n = 10; 13%). Only 5% of patients (n = 4) reported to have missed more than one outpatient dose (max. 3 per patient). Only one catheter-related adverse event required medical intervention, and there were no catheter-related infections., Conclusion: The study demonstrates that OPAT can be safely conducted in Germany. In preparation for its broader implementation, crucial next steps include creating medical guidelines, fostering interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral communication, as well as creating financial and structural regulations that facilitate and encourage the adoption of OPAT., Trial Registration Number: NCT04002453., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The birth experience plays a pivotal role in the mother´s mental well-being and has a crucial effect on the mother-child bond. Unanticipated medical interventions, including fundal pressure, episiotomy, assisted vaginal delivery (AVD), or unplanned cesarean section (CS) during labor, may adversely affect the birth experience. The objective of this study is to identify factors contributing to the diminished evaluation of the birth experience after assessing the prevalence of unplanned obstetrical interventions in Germany., Methods: For this cross-sectional analysis, 4000 mothers whose children were born 8 or 12 months before were asked about their birth experience via a paper-based questionnaire. Overall 1102 mothers participated in the study, representing a response rate of 27.6%. The revised Childbirth Experience Questionnaire (CEQ2) was used to measure the childbirth experience. In addition to descriptive and bivariate analyses using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test and Kruskal-Wallis-test, we calculated multivariate linear regression models for each dimension of the CEQ2., Results: In general, the participants evaluated their childbirth experience favorably, assigning an average rating of 3.09 on a scale ranging from 1 to 4. Women who experienced fundal pressure, an AVD, or an unplanned CS rated their birth experience significantly worse compared to women who gave birth without interventions. Unplanned CSs received the lowest ratings for "personal capability" and "perceived safety," and an AVD resulted in lower scores for "professional support" and "participation." However, the interventions we studied did not account for much of the variation in how the childbirth experience plays out for different individuals., Conclusion: Obstetric interventions have a significant effect on different dimensions of the birth experience. If a high level of birth satisfaction is to be achieved, it is important to know which dimension of satisfaction is affected by the intervention so that explicit measures, like fostering communication, participation or safety can be taken to promote improvement., German Clinical Trial Register: DRKS00029214, retrospectively registered (Registration Date 22.06.2023)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Aim: To describe activities and professional characteristics of nurses in expanded roles in acute care in Germany and achieve a greater understanding of the current situation of advanced practice nursing., Background: Advanced practice nursing plays an important role in meeting increased demands in healthcare and promoting high-quality care., Introduction: In Germany, advanced practice nursing is still at an early stage with a lack of studies describing the scope of practice of nurses in expanded roles., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional-study using a paper-and-pencil questionnaire. In a nationwide convenience sample, we surveyed nurses with an academic degree, who work in an acute care hospital and take over expanded roles in direct patient care. Reporting followed the STROBE checklist., Results: Of 108 eligible nurses, 84 (77%) completed the survey. The majority had a Master's degree (63.1%) and the average work experience was 18.2 years. Participants carried out activities in all the domains that were queried (direct clinical practice, guidance and coaching, consultation, leadership and research) with differences within and between domains. Foci were on direct clinical practice and coaching and guidance., Discussion: In Germany, qualifications are nearing the international standard of advanced practice nursing. Results suggest that participants partly undertake activities within the scope of registered nurses' practice that do not correspond fully to their formal qualifications., Conclusion and Implications for Nursing And/or Health Policy: In order to foster the role development of expanded practice nurses in Germany, political efforts are needed in terms of training (e.g. specific Master's programmes), funding of corresponding positions in practice and control mechanisms (e.g. professional registration)., (© 2023 The Authors. International Nursing Review published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Council of Nurses.)

Background: Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT), an alternative to inpatient intravenous antibiotic therapy, has shown benefits in international studies such as increased patient satisfaction. Because OPAT has been used only sporadically in Germany so far, no structured results on patients' experiences and concerns regarding OPAT have yet been available. This study therefore aims to explore the experiences of OPAT patients in a pilot region in Germany., Methods: This is an observational study in a German pilot region, including a survey of 58 patients on their experiences with OPAT, and in-depth interviews with 12 patients (explanatory-sequential mixed-methods design)., Results: Patients reported that they were satisfied with OPAT. That a hospital discharge was possible and anti-infective therapy could be continued in the home environment was rated as being particularly positive. In the beginning, many patients in the interviews were unsure about being able to administer the antibiotic therapy at home on their own. However, healthcare providers (doctors and pharmacy service provider staff) were able to allay these concerns. Patients appreciated regular contact with care providers. There were suggestions for improvement, particularly concerning the organization of the weekly check-up appointments and the provision of information about OPAT., Conclusions: Patients were generally satisfied with OPAT. However, the treatment structures in Germany still need to be expanded to ensure comprehensive and high-quality OPAT care., Trial Registration: NCT04002453, https://www., Clinicaltrials: gov/ , (registration date: 2019-06-21)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The measures taken to contain the COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on society, affecting medical care as well as the utilization of medical services. We aimed to identify pandemic-related changes in gynaecologic/obstetric care through the personal experience of practitioners in the outpatient sector in Germany. Three consecutive anonymous online surveys of practising gynaecologists were conducted during the pandemic (07-09/2020, 11-12/2020 and 09-11/2021). Appointment management, medical supply and patients' demand as well as concomitant circumstances were queried. Data from 860 (393, 262 and 205 from the first, second and third surveys, respectively) respondents were analysed. At the peak of the first COVID-19 wave, more than 50% of the gynaecologists surveyed had cancelled cancer screening appointments. There was a significant association between fear of self-infection and cancellation of cancer screening appointments (p = 0.006). An increase in domestic violence was reported by 13%, an increase in obesity by 67% and more advanced tumours due to delayed screening by 24% of respondents. Primary gynaecological oncological prevention was reduced in supply and demand during the COVID-19 pandemic, and this shortfall should be addressed in future similar situations. Prenatal care has been offered continuously since the start of the pandemic in Germany., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Objectives: The rate of outpatient therapeutic curettage is lower in Germany than in other countries, although there are no differences in patient safety between outpatient and inpatient management. In this context, outpatient surgery is economically advantageous and efficient. This study aims to identify organisational and regional factors that determine the rate of outpatient curettage in German hospitals., Methods: We analysed the hospital quality reports for 2013-2019, which include data from all German hospitals with gynaecology departments (n=709). These organisational data (teaching status, size, ownership, department type and hospital group) are enhanced by contextual data (degree of urbanisation, market concentration and population income). We calculated a zero-one inflated beta regression model to identify factors that influence the rate of outpatient curettages in 2019., Results: Increasing numbers of curettages are provided on an outpatient basis; accordingly, the number of inpatient curettages declined during the analysis period. In 2019, 69.6% of in-hospital curettages were performed as outpatient surgery. Hospital size is significantly negative and outpatient physician department type is significantly positively associated with outpatient curettage rates. We found no effects of hospital ownership type, degree of urbanisation or market concentration. A high income in the surgical district's population is also associated with a higher rate of outpatient curettages., Conclusions: The analyses demonstrate that organisational factors are associated with the outpatient curettage rate. This indicates that external elements, such as reimbursements and regulations, influence outpatient surgical events in Germany, and current regulations do not incentivise hospitals to significantly increase their rate of outpatient curettages., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Purpose: One-to-one peer supporters called isPO onco-guides (isPO OGs) are an integral part of the new German psycho-oncological form of care 'integrated, cross-sectoral Psycho-Oncology' (isPO), additionally to professional care. The isPO OGs are cancer survivors with experiential knowledge, offering information on local support services and answering questions 'all around cancer' to newly diagnosed cancer patients. We aimed to evaluate the isPO OG service from three perspectives: patients, isPO OGs, and professional service providers., Methods: A mixed-methods approach was pursued. We conducted interviews and focus groups with the three person groups, and applied qualitative content analysis on the reported resources, processes and outcomes regarding the isPO OG service. Relations with patients' utilisation and isPO OGs' work satisfaction were identified with regression and correlation analyses of questionnaire and isPO care data. We compared isPO care networks (CN) with X 2 -tests or ANOVA. Qualitative and quantitative results were integrated during interpretation phase., Results: Qualitatively, the three person groups agreed on the benefits of the isPO OG service. The implementation's maturity differed between the CN concerning established processes and resource availability. Attitudes of professional service providers appeared to be crucial for patients' utilisation of the isPO OG service. Quantitative results emphasised the differences between the CN., Conclusion: Beyond differences in the CN, the isPO OG service has two psychosocial benefits: providing relevant, reliable, and understandable information; and offering the encouraging example that surviving and living with cancer is possible., Trial Registration: The study was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (No. DRKS00015326) on 30.10.2018., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The German research data center for health will provide claims data of statutory health insurances. The data center was set up at the medical regulatory body BfArM pursuant to the German data transparency regulation (DaTraV). The data provided by the center will cover about 90% of the German population, supporting research on healthcare issues, including questions of care supply, demand and the (mis-)match of both. These data support the development of recommendations for evidence-based healthcare. The legal framework for the center (including §§ 303a-f of Book V of the Social Security Code and two subsequent ordinances) leaves a considerable degree of freedom when it comes to organisational and procedural aspects of the center's operation. The present paper addresses these degrees of freedom. From the point of view of researchers, ten statements show the potential of the data center and provide ideas for its further and sustainable development., Competing Interests: Stefanie March, Falk Hoffmann, Holger Gothe, Ingo Meier, Sebastian Claudius Semler, Christoph Stallmann, Enno Swart und Peter Ihle erklären, dass Sie innerhalb der vergangenen 3 Jahre Gutachtertätigkeit für das Bundesministerium für Gesundheit ausgeübt haben, und einzelne Autor*innen am begleitenden Arbeitskreis zum Forschungsdatenzentrum Gesundheit beim BfArM beteiligt sind., (The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).)

Background: COVID-19 vaccination is recognized as a key component in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. Physicians' attitudes toward vaccination are known to play a defining role in the management and dissemination of medical advice to patients. In Germany, outpatient practitioners are predominantly responsible for the dissemination of vaccines., Method: Using a cross-sectional online survey, 932 outpatient general practitioners, gynecologists, and pediatricians in Germany were asked in fall, 2021, about their attitude toward COVID-19 vaccination and - among others - their communication in vaccine discussions, their assessment of vaccine safety, and reporting of suspected adverse events. Physicians were divided into two groups along their attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination. In addition, multivariate linear regression models were constructed to assess differences in communication strategies., Results: 92 % of physicians had a positive or very positive attitude toward COVID-19 vaccination. Own vaccination status, practice-based vaccination delivery, and estimated vaccination coverage among patients were significantly associated with the attitude toward vaccination. Confidence in vaccine safety was significantly lower among physicians with negative attitudes. There were no differences between the two groups in self-assessment of the ability to detect suspected adverse events, but there were differences in the observing and reporting of adverse events. For the linear regression models, we found that a more negative attitude toward COVID-19 vaccination was significantly associated with increased acceptance of patient refusal of COVID-19 vaccination and empathic behavior for patient concerns. In contrast, willingness to engage in a detailed persuasion consultation was significantly lower. Pediatricians showed significantly higher empathy for patient-side concerns compared to general practitioners, whereas gynecologists showed less empathy than general practitioners., Discussion: The physician's attitude toward COVID-19 vaccination influences the physician's practices as a vaccine provider. However, when providing medical advice and healthcare, the physician should focus on the actual needs of the patient., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: General practitioners (GPs) are important providers of palliative home care (PHC). To deliver adequate palliative care, cooperation with specialised PHC teams is necessary. Specialised PHC is a type of care for severely ill patients by specialised providers. Little is known about the involvement of German GPs in specialised PHC., Objectives: To analyse GPs' experience with realised and desired involvement in specialised PHC. Realised involvement means GPs took part in specialised PHC patients' care. Desired involvement is GPs' hoped-for cooperation with specialised PHC teams: GPs could state whether they want to stay involved, be informed, or provide medical services themselves after referral to specialised PHC., Methods: Mixed methods design (focus group with 6 GPs; survey of 445 GPs in North Rhine, Germany, about their experiences in PHC/specialised PHC): Qualitative data was interpreted using content analysis. The authors developed a questionnaire and performed descriptive analysis based on qualitative results., Results: GPs are mostly satisfied with specialised PHC teams' care, although they report cooperation is not always optimal. GPs describe a high satisfaction with quality of care by specialised PHC teams. However, physicians with higher PC knowledge are less satisfied with specialised PHC. Also, GPs are often less involved in specialised PHC than they wish, especially when they have a higher PC qualification., Conclusion: In general, GPs are satisfied with the quality of care provided by specialised PHC teams but GPs do not always perceive cooperation as optimal. Involvement of GPs in specialised PHC needs to be improved.

Introduction: This mixed-method study explores psychological needs, access and barriers in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients with and without mental health issues (MHI) within the German healthcare system., Methods: This study was conducted in three different healthcare settings: two hospitals, two rehabilitation clinics and three cardiology practices in Cologne, Germany. Patients were screened for angiographically documented CHD and other inclusion criteria. In total, 364 CHD patients took part in this study. It consisted of two parts: In the first part, participants filled in a newly developed questionnaire about their psychological needs, access and barriers within the healthcare system and their contact with their doctor in these matters. Then, patients were screened for MHIs with the help of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). When a score above seven was scored on the HADS, patients were additionally screened for specific MHIs using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders. In the second part, 20 participants were subsequently interviewed in a semi-structured interview to generate more in-depth findings., Results: The interviews show that CHD patients with and without MHI experienced a cardiac event as life-changing and had an urgent need to talk about CHD with their doctor, mostly the general practitioner (GP). When the GP spoke to the patient shortly after the cardiac event, patients experienced relief and were better able to cope with their illness. Only 9.1% reported being aided in their search for psychotherapeutic treatment or drug treatment (4.1%)., Conclusion: The needs of CHD patients with and without MHI were not adequately satisfied within our sample. Psychological measures are necessary for sufficient improvement, such as training of doctors in doctor-patient communication (e.g., better support in coping with MHI/CHD), improvements in the procedure (more time for conversations during doctor contacts), and improvement of structural requirements (referring patients faster to psychotherapists)., Patient or Public Contribution: We received input from patients during pretests and used the feedback to tailor our questionnaire and the interview guidelines. Afterwards, we disseminated the main results for the patient and public involvement (e.g., public lectures, leaflets for self-help groups, etc.)., (© 2022 The Authors. Health Expectations published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) means intravenous administration of antibiotics outside the hospital. The antibiotics are administered at the patient's home. The advantages are the shortening of the inpatient stay, which means that patients can remain in their familiar environment, the reduction of nosocomial infections as well as the reduction of hospital and therapy costs. Nevertheless, OPAT is rarely performed in Germany, despite its international application. Therefore, systematic data on OPAT are not available in Germany. The project objective is to investigate the medical care using OPAT under medical, epidemiological and economic aspects within the framework of the Cologne Network of Infectious Diseases., Methods and Analysis: Observational study with mixed-methods approach, qualitative analysis to identify physician-side factors to assess the attitude of general practitioners in Cologne with regard to possible implementation barriers of an OPAT. Longitudinal analysis of an OPAT patient cohort with respect to clinical and patient-relevant outcomes using descriptive and conclusive statistics., Ethics and Dissemination: The study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board of the University of Cologne, Germany (19-1284-1). Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. The results will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at one or more scientific conferences., Trial Registration Number: NCT04002453., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Due to demographic change, the number of patients in palliative care (PC) is increasing. General Practitioners (GPs) are important PC providers who often have known their patients for a long time. PC can be demanding for GPs. However, there are few studies on the job stress factors of GPs performing PC and the potential influence of their PC training. To get more insights, a postal survey was performed with GPs in North Rhine, Germany. The questionnaire was based on a literature search, qualitative pre-studies, and the Hospital Consultants' Job Stress & Satisfaction Questionnaire (HCJSSQ). Participants state that a high level of responsibility, conflicting demands, and bureaucracy are the most important stressors they experienced in PC. The influence of PC qualification level on their perceived job stress factors is low. Only advanced but not specialist qualification shows a correlation with renumeration-related stress. Gender and work experience are more dominant influences. In our study, female GPs and physicians with more work experience tend to be more stressed. In conclusion, organisational barriers, such as administration, should be reduced and renumeration should be increased to facilitate the daily work of GPs.

Background: Evaluating the development phase of a complex intervention programme can be challenging. A prospective evaluation approach is presented based on the example of the new complex psycho-oncological care programme isPO (integrated, cross-sectoral Psycho-Oncology). Prior to programme implementation, we examined (1) if isPO was developed as intended, and (2) if it was relevant and transferable into the newly developed psycho-oncological care networks in North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany. Further, we investigated which implementation facilitators and barriers were anticipated and which implementation strategies were planned by the programme designers (multidisciplinary professionals and cancer supporting organizations who developed the isPO programme components and the networks)., Methods: A mixed-methods approach was applied. Qualitative data were collected by quarterly progress reports, interviews and a focus group with the programme designers. Evaluation criteria for document analyses of the quarterly progress reports were developed and applied. Content analysis was applied for analysing interviews and focus group. Quantitative data were gained from evaluating the programme training for the isPO service providers by short written questionnaires that were analysed descriptively., Results: An implementable prototype of the isPO programme has been developed within 15 months, however no piloting was conducted. The programme's complexity proved to be challenging with regard to coordination and communication of the numerous programme designers. This was intensified by existing interdependencies between the designers. Further, there was little communication and participation between the programme designers and the prospective users (patients and service providers). Due to these challenges, only context-unspecific implementation strategies were planned., Conclusion: The required resources for developing a new complex care programme and the need of a mature implementation strategy should be sufficiently addressed. Programmes may benefit from prospective evaluation by gaining insightful knowledge concerning the programme's maturity and anticipating implementation facilitators and barriers. A mixed-methods evaluation design was crucial for achieving profound insight into the development process., Trial Registration: The study has been registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (No. DRKS00015326 ) on 30.10.2018., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: If infants with a very low birth weight (VLBW) are to be fed exclusively with human milk, it is essential to focus on lactation initiation. The aim of the study is to learn more about the current state of lactation initiation and human milk provision in neonatal intensive care units in Germany from the mothers' perspective., Methods: Written surveys were conducted with mothers of VLBW infants to learn more about the timing of initiation of lactation, pumping frequency during the first three days postpartum and feeding of the preterm infant during hospitalisation., Results: The data of 437 mothers (response rate: 44.7%) were included in the analyses. Of these, only 7.8% stated that they had initiated lactation immediately after delivery and 38.2% within 6 h. In terms of pumping frequency, 50.1% pumped 7-9 times a day within the first 3 days postpartum; 60.9% reported that their infant received formula feedings during the hospital stay., Conclusion: Overall, deficits were still evident with regard to the initiation of lactation in mothers of VLBW infants in Germany, resulting in a large proportion of VLBW infants receiving formula in the hospital., Trial Registration: German Clinical Trial Register: DRKS00017755 ., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly changed the work of general practitioners (GPs). At the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, German outpatient practices had to adapt quickly. Pandemic preparedness (PP) of GPs may play a vital role in their management of a pandemic., Objectives: The study aimed to examine the association in the stock of seven personal protective equipment (PPE) items and knowledge of pandemic plans on perceived PP among GPs., Methods: Three multivariable linear regression models were developed based on an online cross-sectional survey for the period March-April 2020 (the onset of the pandemic in Germany). Data were collected using self-developed items on self-assessed PP and knowledge of a pandemic plan and its utility. The stock of seven PPE items was queried. For PPE items, three different PPE scores were compared. Control variables for all models were gender and age., Results: In total, 508 GPs were included in the study; 65.16% believed that they were very poorly or poorly prepared. Furthermore, 13.83% of GPs were aware of a pandemic plan; 40% rated those plans as beneficial. The stock of FFP-2/3 masks, protective suits, face shields, safety glasses, and medical face masks were mostly considered completely insufficient or insufficient, whereas disposable gloves and disinfectants were considered sufficient or completely sufficient. The stock of PPE was significantly positively associated with PP and had the largest effect on PP; the association of the knowledge of a pandemic plan was significant but small. PPE scores did not vary considerably in their explanatory power. The assessment of a pandemic plan as beneficial did not significantly affect PP., Conclusion: The stock of PPE seems to be the determining factor for PP among German GPs; for COVID-19, sufficient masks are the determining factor. Knowledge of a pandemic plans play a secondary role in PP., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: Hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) are medically equivalent alternatives for symptomatic therapy of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). An early referral (ER) of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) to a nephrological specialist is associated with a higher proportion of patients choosing PD. Germany historically shows a low PD uptake. This article is the first investigation into the impact of ER on the uptake of PD, using a large German claims database., Methods: Claims data of 4727 incident dialysis patients in 2015 and 2016 were analyzed. Accounting codes for nephrological care and dialysis modalities were identified. Their first documentation was defined as their first encounter with a nephrologist and their first dialysis treatment (HD or PD). ER was determined as receiving nephrological care at least six months before the first dialysis. A multivariate logistic regression model with adjusted odds ratios (AOR) investigates the impact of ER, outpatient dialysis start, age, comorbidities, and sex on the chance for PD., Results: Forty-three percent were referred to the nephrologist six months before their first dialysis (ER). Single tests, as well as the adjusted multivariate logistic regression, highlighted that ER significantly increases the chance for PD. In the multivariate model, the uptake of PD was associated with ER (AOR = 3.05; p < 0.001; 95% CI = 2.16-4.32), outpatient dialysis start (AOR = 0.71; p = 0.044; 95% CI = 0.51-0.99), younger age (AOR = 0.96; p < 0.001; 95% CI = 0.95-0.97), and fewer comorbidities (AOR = 0.85; p < 0.001; 95% CI = 0.44-1.58)., Conclusions: ER of patients with CKD to a nephrologist increases PD uptake. It gives both nephrologists and patients enough time for patient education about different treatment options and can contribute to informed decisions about the dialysis treatment.

Background: Hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) are equivalent treatment alternatives for patients with end stage renal disease. In Germany, there is a legal obligation to inform every patient about all treatment alternatives and their possible harms and benefits. However, there is a low utilization of PD. Therefore, the question arises, whether HD patients perceive that they were informed about different dialysis options. We further investigate, if personal characteristics of informed and non-informed patients vary, and if both groups experienced the decision for their dialysis treatment as shared decision making (SDM)., Methods: The database was a nationwide postal survey of 590 HD patients from two statutory health insurers in Germany. Participants were asked whether they have been informed about both dialysis options. A logistic regression model examines impact factors on this information. We investigate differences in the German version of the 9-item SDM Questionnaire (SDM-Q-9) between informed and non-informed patients with a multivariate linear regression model., Results: 56 % of the respondents reported they had been informed about different dialysis treatment options. Patients older than 65 had a 61 % lower chance than patients ≤ 65 for this information (p < 0.001). High educated patients had a 47 % higher chance for this information than patients with low education level (p = 0.030). Informed patients rated a higher SDM-Q-9 scores than non-informed patients (76.9 vs. 44.2; p < 0.001). Non-informed patients showed high values in those SDM-Q-9 items which had no regard to different treatment options., Conclusions: A great proportion of HD patients - mostly elderly patients and patients with a low education level - did not perceive that they were informed about different dialysis options before dialysis was initiated. The current obligation to provide information about all treatment alternatives in Germany is a first step to assure the unselected access to different treatment options. But it has not reached routine application in health care yet. Information about different treatment options can pave the way for SDM. While SDM is considered to be a valuable tool in clinical medicine, there is still room for improvement for its successful implementation when it comes to decision making on different dialysis treatment options., Trial Registration: The MAU-PD study (Multidimensional analysis of causes for the low prevalence of ambulatory peritoneal dialysis in Germany) is registered at the German Clinical Trials Register., Drks-Id: DRKS00012555 Link: https://www.drks.de/drks&#95;web/setLocale&#95;EN.do . Date of Registration in DRKS: 2018/01/04.

Aim: The scientific use of SHI routine data is increasing, especially in the field of health services research. This also raises new questions with regard to the development of databases, which make it possible to store these data for longitudinal analyses over a longer period of time and by combining data from different SHI companies. On the basis of the experience gained in setting up the CoRe-Net database, we want to show that it is possible to install such a research infrastructure and make it usable in the long term., Methodology/results: On the basis of the current regulatory framework (e. g. the added specification of § 75 SGB X) and taking into account strict data protection criteria, it is possible to set up a database covering several health insurance funds: In CoRe-Net, a pseudonymisation centre and a trust centre were implemented for this purpose. At the same time, multiple pseudonymisation was carried out using a one-way hash procedure. Data analysis are only possible after approval by the participating health insurance funds and if valid approval has been obtained from relevant ethics committees., Conclusion: The amendment of § 75 SGB X in 2018 creates a legal framework for the collection and storage of SHI routine data within the framework of a research project for future questions within a defined research area., Competing Interests: Die Autorinnen/Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Background: General practitioners (GPs) are important providers and coordinators of palliative home care (PHC). Through this double role, their perspectives and their treatment decisions influence PHC fundamentally. This study aims to gain deeper insights into GPs' perspectives regarding PHC in North Rhine, Germany., Methods: An explorative, semistructured focus group was conducted with 7 doctors. The researchers performed content analysis. Main topics were GPs' role definition in PHC and GPs' medical activities in PHC., Results: Participating GPs describe their role in PHC, based on high motivation and positive attitudes toward PHC as a hybrid role: coordinator, provider (mostly in general PHC), and referrer (gateway to palliative care [PC] specialists). According to GPs' medical activity, participants describe moderate expertise, demanding tasks, and elaborate PHC provision for GPs. Participants stressed the importance of PC in GPs' work. But also PC is a small field in general practice. GPs' PHC benefits from the deep trust resulting from the often close and long-term GP-patient relationship. Complexity and bureaucracy of PHC structures as well as the lack of resources and multidisciplinary cooperation are named as barriers for providing PHC. The highest level of care is reached in specialized PHC, which only very few, severely impaired patients need., Conclusions: Participating GPs see themselves as important PHC providers as well as referrers and coordinators. Complexity and discontinuity in PC arrangements create challenges for their provision. Therefore, they long for reduced bureaucratic burdens.

Objectives: To set up a pragmatic Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle by analysing patient experiences and determinants of satisfaction with care in the last year of life., Design: Cross-sectional postbereavement survey., Setting: Regional health services research and development structure representing all health and social care providers involved in the last year of life in Cologne, a city with 1 million inhabitants in Germany., Participants: 351 bereaved relatives of adult decedents, representative for age and gender, accidental and suspicious deaths excluded., Results: For the majority (89%) of patients, home was the main place of care during their last year of life. Nevertheless, 91% of patients had at least one hospital admission and 42% died in hospital. Only 60% of informants reported that the decedent had been told that the disease was leading to death. Hospital physicians broke the news most often (58%), with their communication style often (30%) being rated as 'not sensitive'. Informants indicated highly positive experiences with care provided by hospices (89% 'good') and specialist palliative home care teams (87% 'good'). This proportion dropped to 41% for acute care hospitals, this rating being determined by the feeling of not being treated with respect and dignity (OR=23.80, 95% CI 7.503 to 75.498) and the impression that hospitals did not work well together with other services (OR=8.37, 95% CI 2.141 to 32.71)., Conclusions: Following those data, our regional priority for action now is improvement of care in acute hospitals, with two new projects starting, first, how to recognise and communicate a limited life span, and second, how to improve care during the dying phase. Results and further improvement projects will be discussed in a working group with the city of Cologne, and repeating this survey in 2 years will be able to measure regional achievements., Trial Registration Number: DRKS00011925., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Purpose: International and national studies have shown unmet information needs regarding nutrition in breast cancer patients. An intervention study has examined the question of the extent to which a fact sheet on the topic of nutrition is suitable to cover the need for information of breast cancer patients., Method: The fact sheet with basic information on nutrition was distributed in 21 intervention breast care centres in 2017. The use of the fact sheets was evaluated in a quasi-experimental design as part of the annual breast cancer patients' survey of the University of Cologne. The breast cancer patients considered were being treated with primary breast carcinoma in a hospital in North Rhine-Westphalia. A multilevel analysis was carried out in order to quantify the effect of the intervention., Results: Unmet information needs are experienced more by younger and non-native German-speaking patients. With regard to education, patients without a graduation and a high grade of education express more unmet information needs. The multilevel analysis showed that patients who were treated at an intervention site and therefore possibly received the fact sheet have a significantly higher chance of their information needs being met (OR = 1.45; p ≤ 0.05)., Conclusion: The intervention study showed that a fact sheet with basic information on nutrition is a possible instrument to satisfy the information needs of breast cancer patients and therefore reduce unmet information needs regarding nutrition. This intervention study is a pragmatic example on how to reduce unmet information needs among breast cancer patients in Germany.

Background: Safety climate research suggests that a corresponding climate in work units is crucial for patient safety. Intensive care units are usually co-led by a nurse and a physician, who are responsible for aligning an interprofessional workforce and warrant a high level of safety. Yet, little is known about whether and how these interprofessional co-leaders jointly affect their unit's safety climate., Purpose: This empirical study aims to explain differences in the units' safety climate as an outcome of the nurse and physician leaders' degree of shared goals. Specifically, we examine whether the degree to which co-leaders share goals in general fosters a safety climate by pronouncing norms of interprofessional cooperation as a behavioral standard for the team members' interactions., Methodology/approach: A cross-sectional design was used to gather data from 70 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Germany. Survey data for our variables were collected from the unit's leading nurse and the leading physician, as well as from the unit's nursing and physician team members. Hypotheses testing at unit level was conducted using multivariate linear regression., Results: Our analyses show that the extent to which nurse-physician co-leaders share goals covaries with safety climate in NICUs. This relationship is partially mediated by norms of interprofessional cooperation among NICU team members. Our final model accounts for 54% of the variability in safety climate of NICUs., Conclusion: Increasing the extent to which co-leaders share goals is an effective lever to strengthen interprofessional cooperation and foster a safety climate among nursing and physician team members of hospital units.

Introduction: International standards of care require the complete integration of psycho-oncological care into biomedical cancer treatment. The structured integrated, cross-sectoral psycho-oncological programme 'isPO' is aiming to ensure a provision of care in inpatient and outpatient settings according to a stepped-care approach. Up to now, psycho-oncological care is missing regulated and standardised processes to demonstrate the effectiveness. This study protocol describes the process and outcome evaluation that is conducted, along with the isPO study. The programme evaluation is aiming to proof effectiveness, explain potential discrepancies between expected and observed outcomes. Additionally, provide insight into the implementation process, as well as contextual factors that might promote or inhibit the dissemination and implementation of the stepped care programme will be gained. In addition to these measures, a cost-consequence analysis will provide further evidence aimed at integrating psycho-oncological care into primary healthcare., Methods and Analysis: The evaluation concept is based on a tripartite strategy consisting of a prospective, formative and summative evaluation. To capture all determinants, a concurrent mixed-method design is applied comprising qualitative (interviews and focus groups) and quantitative (standardised questionnaires) surveys of patients and healthcare providers. In addition, analysis of the psycho-oncological care data (isPO care data) and statutory health insurance claims data will be conducted. Primary and secondary data will complement one another (data linkage) to obtain a more comprehensive picture of the effectiveness and implementation of the complex intervention within the isPO study., Ethics and Dissemination: The study has been approved by the ethics committee of the Medical Faculty of the University of Cologne. For all collected data, the relevant national and European data protection regulations will be considered. All personal identifiers (eg, name, date of birth) will be pseudonymised. Dissemination strategies include annual reports as well as quality workshops for the organisations, the presentation of results in publications and on conferences, and public relations., Trial Registration Number: DRKS00015326; Pre-results., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Individual data linkage of different data sources for research purposes is being increasingly used in Germany in recent years. However, generally accepted methodological guidance is missing. The aim of this article is to define such methodological standards for research projects. Another aim is to provide readers with a checklist for critical appraisal of research proposals and articles. Since 2016, an expert panel of members of different German scientific societies have worked together and developed 7 guidelines with a total of 27 practical recommendations. These recommendations include (1) research aims, questions, data sources and resources, (2) infrastructure and data flow, (3) data privacy, (4) ethics, (5) key variables and type of linkage, (6) data validation/quality assurance and (7) long-term use for future research questions. The authors provide a rationale for each recommendation. Future revisions will include any new developments in science and data privacy., Competing Interests: Die Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht., (Eigentümer und Copyright ©Georg Thieme Verlag KG 2018.)

Introduction: Patients with end-stage kidney failure can be treated either by transplant or by dialysis, which can be administered as haemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD). Although they are equivalent therapeutic options in terms of mortality, the percentage of patients in Germany treated with PD is currently very low (∼6%) compared with other countries. The aim of our study is to analyse the factors behind this percentage and their relevance to the choice of dialysis treatment in Germany. This includes analyses of regional disparities in the provision of care for dialysis patients as well as the evaluations of costs and the influence of reimbursement structures. This approach should provide further insights to explain the variation in the usage of PD and HD and will help to define starting points for future interventions., Methods and Analysis: A mixed-methods approach will be applied to several data sources, including administrative data (ambulatory physicians' claim data, statutory health insurance claim data), quality assurance data from one of the largest German dialysis providers Kuratorium für Dialyse (KfH) and qualitative and quantitative survey data (patients, nephrologists and dialysis nurses). Qualitative data will be analysed content-analytically. Based on the quantitative data, multivariable analyses will be performed and, where possible, hierarchical models will be tested. This multidimensional approach will enable us to account for the different factors influencing the penetration of PD in Germany., Ethics and Dissemination: Ethics approval (17-299) has been obtained from the Ethics Committee of the Medical Faculty of the University of Cologne on 25 April 2018. National and international dissemination will be accomplished by informing healthcare practitioners, patients and professional organisations and other stakeholders via conferences, scientific and non-scientific publications and seminars., Trial Registration Number: DRKS00012555; Pre-Results., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Aim: This study assessed the cost consciousness of nurses and physicians in German neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and identified factors affecting cost consciousness., Methods: This study on cost consciousness was part of the German Safety4NICU study, a cross-sectional survey conducted from 2015 to 2016. All 224 German NICUs were invited to take part in the survey, and written consent was obtained from the leading physicians and nurses. The various professions were addressed via specific questionnaires. The cost survey tool identified the participants' responsibility and their desired focus on cost consciousness., Results: Of the 1406 nurses and 496 physicians from 84 NICUs, 64.4% of the nurses and 62.5% of the physicians agreed that they shared responsibility for controlling costs. The computed score to define the overall cost consciousness level was 4.47. We identified a significantly positive association between cost consciousness, longer total clinical work experience and a decreased number of NICU intensive care beds. Increased cost consciousness was found in both men and physicians. Other hospital characteristics did not have an effect., Conclusion: Neonatology is a medical speciality where the tension between economics and the benefit of patients is extremely high. We found a moderate level of cost consciousness among NICU physicians and nurses., (©2018 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

With the BMBF's funding program "Structural Development in Health Services Research" the Cologne Research and Development Network CoRe-Net is being set up by various partners from both clinical practice and health services research. The network focuses on the further development of healthcare according to the concept of learning organizations. On the basis of three research projects, the Cologne network CoRe-Net aims to establish itself in a sustainable manner and analyze healthcare delivery for two vulnerable patient groups. The two groups include a) deceased patients in Cologne and b) people suffering from heart disease and an associated mental comorbidity. The Cologne network CoRe-Net is based on M.E. Porter's value-based healthcare approach., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: No data exist on the size of the population potentially in need of palliative care in Germany. The aim of this study is to estimate the size of the German population that may benefit from palliative care., Method: Based on existing population-based methods (Rosenwax and Murtagh), German death registration data were analyzed and contrasted with international results. The data include all death cases in 2013 in Germany., Results: According to the method Rosenwax defined, between 40.7% (minimal estimate) and 96.1% (maximal estimate) of death cases could benefit from palliative care. The estimation, based on Murtagh's refined method, results in 78.0% of death cases potentially being eligible for palliative care. The percentage of potential palliative care candidates is conditioned by age. Based on the Murtagh Method, in the age category between 30 and 39 years, a potential demand for palliative care can be found for 40.4% percent of all deaths occurring in this age category, with this number increasing to 80.3% in the age bracket of 80 years and over., Conclusion: An estimation of the size of the population in need is essential for healthcare planning. Therefore, our data serve as a guide and starting point for further research.

Introduction: Patient questionnaires are a frequently used instrument within the framework of quality management in in- and outpatient care. Often such questionnaires enable a comparison of care suppliers with the consequence that one turns out to be visibly better or poorer than another. This process, in turn, makes it necessary to check whether differences found upon evaluation of the questionnaires are not merely the result of different compositions of the questioned populations. Although frequently demanded, such adjustments are not usually made. The present article describes the choice of variables for adjustments and the statistical procedures for a relatively homogeneous sample of breast cancer patients. In addition, the utility and limitations of adjustments are discussed., Methods: On the basis of questionnaire data from 3 840 breast cancer patients of 52 breast cancer centres in North Rhine-Westphalia collected during 2010, we examined which patient characteristics can be employed for the adjustment of satisfaction ratings and to what extent the observed values for the centres differed from the expected results. Independent variables taken into consideration were age, educational level, native language, stage, grading, ASA classification, afffected breast, type of operation, insurance status, partnership status as well as time between operation and receipt of the filled out questionnaire., Results: The variance revealed by the independent variables is low. The expected values showed minimal differences which can be attributed to the high homogeneity of the patients collectives and the centres., Conclusion: The use of adjustments remains limited in the study population. The variance of the independent variables revealed by the adjustors is small. Finally, in our opinion, no clear recommmendation for or against case-mix adjustments can be made in patient populations such as the one examined here. Thus, even when small, effects for a more correct reporting of patient questionnaires are faced with unresolvable methodological challenges. Also of importance but an as yet only rarely discussed factor is the factual intepretation of the association of patient characteristics with a better or poorer evaluation of questionnaires. An adjustment for the respective characteristics would eliminate these findings and not make any contribution to an improvement in health care., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)