Effectiveness of the online-eLearning program KeepCoool at improving the vaccine cold chain in general practices.

Background: Protecting vaccines from freeze damage is a poorly addressed problem. We describe the effectiveness of the eLearning KeepCoool on cold chain maintenance in general practices.

Methods: For this intervention study, temperatures of vaccine refrigerators were logged at one-minute intervals.

Optimizing blood pressure control by an Information Communication Technology-supported case management (PIA study): study protocol for a cluster-randomized controlled trial of a delegation model for general practices.

Background: Longitudinal hypertension control prevents heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular diseases. However, 49% of patients in German family medicine practices do not reach blood pressure (BP) targets (< 140/90 mmHg). Drawing on successful international approaches, the PIA study introduces the PIA information and communication technology system (PIA-ICT) for hypertension management in primary care.

A pragmatic randomised controlled trial referring to a Personalised Self-management SUPport Programme (P-SUP) for persons enrolled in a disease management programme for type 2 diabetes mellitus and/or for coronary heart disease.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and coronary heart disease (CHD) are two chronic diseases that cause a tremendous burden. To reduce this burden, several programmes for optimising the care for these diseases have been developed. In Germany, so-called disease management programmes (DMPs), which combine components of Disease Management and the Chronic Care Model, are applied.

Chronic stress in practice assistants: An analytic approach comparing four machine learning classifiers with a standard logistic regression model.

Background: Occupational stress is associated with adverse outcomes for medical professionals and patients. In our cross-sectional study with 136 general practices, 26.4% of 550 practice assistants showed high chronic stress.

Correction to: IMPROVEjob - Participatory intervention to improve job satisfaction of general practice teams: a model for structural and behavioural prevention in small and medium-sized enterprises - a study protocol of a cluster-randomised controlled trial.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Improving knowledge on vaccine storage management in general practices: Learning effectiveness of an online-based program.

Background: Adequate vaccine storage is a prerequisite for assuring effective vaccinations yet storage conditions in practices are frequently inadequate. The online learning program Keep Cool aims at improving knowledge on international best practices. This study evaluates the program's learning effectiveness focusing on key indicators for knowledge on vaccine storage, such as temperature target range (2 to 8 °C) and documentation requirements.

IMPROVEjob - Participatory intervention to improve job satisfaction of general practice teams: a model for structural and behavioural prevention in small and medium-sized enterprises - a study protocol of a cluster-randomised controlled trial.

Background: Perceived high chronic stress is twice as prevalent among German general practitioners (GPs) and non-physician medical staff compared to the general population. The reasons are multi-factorial and include patient, practice, healthcare system and societal factors, such as multi-morbidity, the diversity of populations and innovations in medical care. Also, practice-related factors, like stressful patient-staff interactions, poor process management of waiting times and lack of leadership, play a role.

Visual inspection of vaccine storage conditions in general practices: A study of 75 vaccine refrigerators.

Introduction: Adequate vaccine storage is a prerequisite to assure vaccine effectiveness and tolerability. In this context, maintaining the cold chain (2°C to 8°C) is the paramount objective. To establish quality-ensured cold chain maintenance, compliance with several structural and procedural aspects is necessary.

Vaccine cold chain in general practices: A prospective study in 75 refrigerators (Keep Cool study).

Introduction: Protecting vaccines from freeze damage is considered one of the most poorly addressed problems in vaccine management. Freezing may impair the potency especially of adsorbed vaccines. The Keep Cool study aims at ensuring optimal vaccine storage conditions in general practices.

Chronic stress, work-related daily challenges and medicolegal investigations: a cross-sectional study among German general practitioners.

Background: The prevalence of chronic stress among German general practitioners (GPs) was shown to be twice as high as in the general population. Because chronic stress negatively influences well-being and poor physician well-being is associated with poor patient outcomes, targeted strategies are needed. This analysis focuses on work-related factors associated with high chronic stress in GPs.

Self-care for common colds: A European multicenter survey on the role of subjective discomfort and knowledge about the self-limited course - The COCO study.

Introduction: Common colds are the most frequently encountered disease worldwide and the most frequent reason for self-care. According to the cross-sectional European Common Colds study (COCO), patients use as many as 12 items on average for self-care. Little is known about the influence of discomfort and knowledge on self-care for common colds.

Prevalence of chronic stress in general practitioners and practice assistants: Personal, practice and regional characteristics.

Background: The majority of studies investigating stress in primary care have focused either on general practitioners (GPs) or practice assistants (PAs), but did not measure stress on a practice level. We analyzed the prevalence of chronic stress for both professional groups and on a practice level and investigated personal, practice, and regional characteristics.

Methods: Chronic stress was measured in GPs and PAs from 136 German practices using the standardized, self-administered TICS-SSCS questionnaire (12 items).

Relevance of clerkship characteristics in changing students' interest in family medicine: a questionnaire survey.

Objectives: Exposure to family medicine (FM) can serve to promote students' interest in this field. This study aimed at identifying clerkship characteristics which decrease or increase students' interest in FM.

Design: This cross-sectional questionnaire study analysed students' clerkship evaluations between the years 2004 and 2014.

Self-Care for Common Colds by Primary Care Patients: A European Multicenter Survey on the Prevalence and Patterns of Practices-The COCO Study.

Patients use self-care to relieve symptoms of common colds, yet little is known about the prevalence and patterns across Europe. In a cross-sectional study 27 primary care practices from 14 countries distributed 120 questionnaires to consecutive patients (≥18 years, any reason for consultation). A 27-item questionnaire asked for patients' self-care for their last common cold.

Self-Care Practices for Common Colds by Primary Care Patients: Study Protocol of a European Multicenter Survey-The COCO Study.

Background. Self-care for common colds is frequent, yet little is known about the spectrum, regional differences, and potential risks of self-care practices in patients from various European regions. Methods/Design.

Effectiveness of a web-based education program to improve vaccine storage conditions in primary care (Keep Cool): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Immunization programs are among the most effective public health strategies worldwide. Adequate vaccine storage is a prerequisite to assure the vaccines' effectiveness and safety. In a questionnaire survey among a random sample of German primary care physicians, we discovered vaccine storage deficits: 16% of physicians had experience with cold chain breaches either as an error or near error, 49 % did not keep a temperature log, and 21 % did not use a separate refrigerator for vaccine storage.

Vaccination management and vaccination errors: a representative online-survey among primary care physicians.

Background: Effective immunizations require a thorough, multi-step process, yet few studies comprehensively addressed issues around vaccination management.

Objectives: To assess variations in vaccination management and vaccination errors in primary care.

Methods: A cross sectional, web-based questionnaire survey was performed among 1157 primary physicians from North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany: a representative 10% random sample of general practitioners (n = 946) and all teaching physicians from the University Duisburg-Essen (n = 211).