Petra Kaufmann-Kolle

Quality circles to improve prescribing of primary care physicians. Three comparative studies.

To determine the effectiveness of quality circles on prescribing patterns of primary care physicians in Germany and to explore the influence of specific factors on changes.

Impact of quality circles for improvement of asthma care: results of a randomized controlled trial

Rationale and aims Quality circles (QCs) are well established as a means of aiding doctors. New quality improvement strategies include benchmarking activities. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the efficacy of QCs for asthma care working either with general feedback or with an open benchmark. Methods Twelve QCs, involving 96 general practitioners, were organized in a randomized controlled trial. Six worked with traditional anonymous feedback and six with an open benchmark; both had guided discussion from a trained moderator. Forty-three primary care practices agreed to give out questionnaires to patients to evaluate the efficacy of QCs. Results A total of 256 patients participated in the survey, of whom 185 (72.3%) responded to the follow-up 1 year later. Use of inhaled steroids at baseline was high (69%) and self-management low (asthma education 27%, individual emergency plan 8%, and peak flow meter at home 21%). Guideline adherence in drug treatment increased (P = 0.19), and asthma steps improved (P = 0.02). Delivery of individual emergency plans increased (P = 0.008), and unscheduled emergency visits decreased (P = 0.064). There was no change in asthma education and peak flow meter usage. High medication guideline adherence was associated with reduced emergency visits (OR 0.24; 95% CI 0.07–0.89). Use of theophylline was associated with hospitalization (OR 7.1; 95% CI 1.5–34.3) and emergency visits (OR 4.9; 95% CI 1.6–14.7). There was no difference between traditional and benchmarking QCs. Conclusions Quality circles working with individualized feedback are effective at improving asthma care. The trial may have been underpowered to detect specific benchmarking effects. Further research is necessary to evaluate strategies for improving the self-management of asthma patients.

ELSID-Diabetes study-evaluation of a large scale implementation of disease management programmes for patients with type 2 diabetes. Rationale, design and conduct – a study protocol [ISRCTN08471887]

BackgroundDiabetes model projects in different regions of Germany including interventions such as quality circles, patient education and documentation of medical findings have shown improvements of HbA1c levels, blood pressure and occurrence of hypoglycaemia in before-after studies (without control group). In 2002 the German Ministry of Health defined legal regulations for the introduction of nationwide disease management programs (DMP) to improve the quality of care in chronically ill patients. In April 2003 the first DMP for patients with type 2 diabetes was accredited. The evaluation of the DMP is essential and has been made obligatory in Germany by the Fifth Book of Social Code. The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of DMP by example of type 2 diabetes in the primary care setting of two German federal states (Rheinland-Pfalz and Sachsen-Anhalt).Methods/DesignThe study is three-armed: a prospective cluster-randomized comparison of two interventions (DMP 1 and DMP 2) against routine care without DMP as control group. In the DMP group 1 the patients are treated according to the current situation within the German-Diabetes-DMP. The DMP group 2 represents diabetic care within ideally implemented DMP providing additional interventions (e.g. quality circles, outreach visits). According to a sample size calculation a sample size of 200 GPs (each GP including 20 patients) will be required for the comparison of DMP 1 and DMP 2 considering possible drop-outs. For the comparison with routine care 4000 patients identified by diabetic tracer medication and age (> 50 years) will be analyzed.DiscussionThis study will evaluate the effectiveness of the German Diabetes-DMP compared to a Diabetes-DMP providing additional interventions and routine care in the primary care setting of two different German federal states.

Association between Potentially Inappropriate Medication (PIM) Use and Risk of Hospitalization in Older Adults: An Observational Study Based on Routine Data Comparing PIM Use with Use of PIM Alternatives

Objective The safety of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in elderly patients is still debated. Using the PRISCUS list, we examined the incident all-cause hospitalization risk associated with PIMs compared to PIM alternatives during the 180 days post individual first pharmacy dispensing (index date). Methods Routine claims data from a German health insurer on 392,337 ambulatory patients aged ≥65 years, were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for hospitalization associated with incident PIM use. Observation period was January 2009 –December 2010. Users of PIM alternatives, as defined by the PRISCUS list, were the reference group. Patients with PIM dispensing or hospital stay in a six month “washout” period (second half of 2008) were excluded. All potential confounders were determined in the half year before the individual index date. Results In the total cohort 60.7% were female. Median age was 73 years. Of 79,041 incident PIM users, 58.4% had PIMs dispensed in one quarter of 2009 or 2010, 19.3% in two quarters, and 22.3% in three or more quarters. There were 126,535 hospitalizations during the observation period, and 47,470 of them occurred within 180 days post first dispensing. Multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed PIM use as a significant risk factor for hospitalization (HR 1.378; 95% CI 1.349–1.407) compared to use of PIM alternatives. Conclusions PIM use compared to use of PIM alternatives is associated with an increased risk of all-cause hospitalization in the 180 days following individual index date. Future analyses comparing a single PIM with its corresponding alternative may help identify those PIMs responsible for this.

Evaluating the Quality of Colorectal Cancer Care across the Interface of Healthcare Sectors

Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) has a high prevalence in western countries. Diagnosis and treatment of CRC is complex and requires multidisciplinary collaboration across the interface of health care sectors. In Germany, a new nationwide established program aims to provide quality information of healthcare delivery across different sectors. Within this context, this study describes the development of a set of quality indicators charting the whole pathway of CRC-care including data specifications that are necessary to operationalize these indicators before practice testing. Methods Indicators were developed following a systematic 10 step modified ‘RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method’ which involved a multidisciplinary panel of thirteen participants. For each indicator in the final set, data specifications relating to sources of quality information, data collection procedures, analysis and feedback were described. Results The final indicator set included 52 indicators covering diagnostic procedures (11 indicators), therapeutic management (28 indicators) and follow-up (6 indicators). In addition, 7 indicators represented patient perspectives. Primary surgical tumor resection and pre-operative radiation (rectum carcinoma only) were perceived as most useful tracer procedures initiating quality data collection. To assess the quality of CRC care across sectors, various data sources were identified: medical records, administrative inpatient and outpatient data, sickness-funds billing code systems and patient survey. Conclusion In Germany, a set of 52 quality indicators, covering necessary aspects across the interfaces and pathways relevant to CRC-care has been developed. Combining different sectors and sources of health care in quality assessment is an innovative and challenging approach but reflects better the reality of the patient pathway and experience of CRC-care.

Tearing down walls: opening the border between hospital and ambulatory care for quality improvement in Germany.

The hospital benchmarking system in Germany was originally introduced to detect unintended consequences of reimbursement based on diagnosis-related groups. The new nationwide SQG programme aims to provide information on quality and outcomes of health care provided in hospital, ambulatory specialist and primary care settings, including the healthcare delivery across different sectors. In 2010 the topics for indicator development were cataract surgery, cervical conization, colectoral cancer and percutaneous coronary interventions or coronary angiography. A systematic stepwise modified RAND/UCLA procedure is applied to develop quality indicators in each of these domains. A general framework for data collection is implemented. Benchmarking results are fed back to providers on a regular basis.

Arriba: effects of an educational intervention on prescribing behaviour in prevention of CVD in general practice

Background: Evidence on the effectiveness of educational interventions on prescribing behaviour modification in prevention of cardiovascular disease is still insufficient. We evaluated the effects of a brief educational intervention on prescription of hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins), inhibitors of platelet aggregation (IPA), and antihypertensive agents (AH). Design: Cluster randomised controlled trial with continuous medical education (CME) groups of general practitioners (GPs). Methods: Prescription of statins, IPA, and AH were verified prior to study start (BL), immediately after index consultation (IC), and at follow-up after 6 months (FU). Prescription in patients at high risk (>15% risk of a cardiovascular event in 10 years, based on the Framingham equation) and no prescription in low-risk patients (≤ 15%) were considered appropriate. Results: An intervention effect on prescribing could only be found for IPA. Generally, changes in prescription over time were all directed towards higher prescription rates and persisted to FU, independent of risk status and group allocation. Conclusions: The active implementation of a brief evidence-based educational intervention on global risk in CVD did not lead directly to risk-adjusted changes in prescription. Investigations on an extended time scale would capture whether decision support of this kind would improve prescribing risk-adjusted sustainably.

Entwicklung und Bewertung von Qualitätsindikatoren aus den Leitlinien Halsschmerzen, Nackenschmerzen und Demenz der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Allgemeinmedizin und Familienmedizin (DEGAM)

A debate on the application of quality indicators (QIs) arose among the members of the German College of General Practitioners and Family Physicians (DEGAM) when two QI systems for ambulatory care (QISA and AQUIK) were published in a short time interval. A research question that emanated from this discussion was whether appropriate QI might be developed based on German general practice guidelines. In spring 2010, the DEGAM guideline committee (SLK) decided to conduct a project on guideline-based development of QIs using the DEGAM guidelines for dementia, neck pain and sore throat. All members of the SLK were invited to participate in the development process which comprised three face-to-face meetings and four paper-pencil ratings. Finally, 17 QIs for the three guidelines on dementia (n=8), neck pain (n=7) and sore throat (n=2) emerged. These QIs received different ratings in the dimensions relevance, practicability, and appropriateness for public reporting as well as for pay for performance. In this project, guideline authors themselves developed QIs based on German general practice guidelines for the first time ever. Not before practice administration systems facilitate the availability of data in the context of clinical documentation, the practicability of the new QIs can be proven in real every-day practice.

Übergangszeiten und -raten von stationär nach ambulant in der Versorgung psychisch kranker Menschen in Baden-Württemberg

OBJECTIVE The time of transfer between discharge from inpatient mental health care and first contact to the outpatient sector is considered to be an indicator for continuity of care. METHODS This indicator is assessed using health care claims data of one of the mayor health insurances in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. RESULTS About 80 % of cases with the diagnosis of a defined mental disorder sought outpatient care at general or mental health practitioners within six months from discharge. 50 % of them did so within six days, 75 % within three weeks. The majority sought outpatient care at general practitioners. Cases that sought care in outpatient clinics specialized for severe mental illness (SMI) could not be considered in the data. However, considering them by estimation, the rate of cases with SMI seeking outpatient care at mental health practitioners within six months from discharge estimated to be at least 70 %. CONCLUSIONS General practitioners are an important source for aftercare of mentally ill people discharged from inpatient care. Time of transfer as an indicator can be predominantly assessed by using health claims data in Germany.

Sustainable reduction of antibiotic-induced antimicrobial resistance (ARena) in German ambulatory care: study protocol of a cluster randomised trial

BackgroundDespite many initiatives to enhance the rational use of antibiotics, there remains substantial room for improvement. The overall aim of this study is to optimise the appropriate use of antibiotics in German ambulatory care in patients with acute non-complicated infections (respiratory tract infections, such as bronchitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis and otitis media), community-acquired pneumonia and non-complicated cystitis, in order to counter the advancing antimicrobial resistance development.MethodsA three-armed cluster randomised trial will be conducted in 14 practice networks in two German federal states (Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia) and an added cohort that reflects standard care. The trial is accompanied by a process evaluation.Each arm will receive a different set of implementation strategies. Arm A receives a standard set, comprising of e-learning on communication with patients and quality circles with data-based feedback for physicians, information campaigns for the public, patient information material and performance-based additional reimbursement. Arm B receives this standard set plus e-learning on communication with patients and quality circles with data-based feedback tailored for non-physician health professionals of the practice team and information material for tablet computers (culture sensitive). Arm C receives the standard set as well as a computerised decision support system and quality circles in local multidisciplinary groups.The study aims to recruit 193 practices which will provide data on 23,934 patients each year (47,867 patients in total).The outcome evaluation is based on claims data and refers to established indicators of the European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption Network (ESAC-Net). Primary and secondary outcomes relate to prescribing of antibiotics, which will be analysed in multivariate regression models. The process evaluation is based on interviews with surveys among physicians, non-physician health professionals of the practice team and stakeholders. A patient survey is conducted in one of the study arms. Interview data will be qualitatively analysed using thematic framework analysis. Survey data of physicians, non-physician health professionals of the practice team and patients will use descriptive and exploratory statistics for analysis.DiscussionThe ARena trial will examine the effectiveness of large scale implementation strategies and explore their delivery in routine practice.Trial registrationISRCTN, ISRCTN58150046. Registered 24 August 2017.