Feasibility of implementing a decision aid for advanced cancer patients in a comprehensive cancer centers' outpatient setting: Valuable lessons learned.

Background: Decision aids (DAs) have been proposed as tools to empower patients in decision-making. However, implementing DA for decisions in advanced cancer is challenging. This study focuses on perspectives of oncologists and other healthcare providers on the hindering and facilitating factors for implementing a customizable DA.

Measuring financial distress in German cancer patients: development and validation of the Financial Distress of Cancer Assessment Tool (FIAT).

Background: Cancer diagnosis and therapy can lead to significant financial distress for those affected, even in universal health care systems. We present the development and validation of a patient-reported outcome measure for financial distress in German cancer patients.

Methods: Validation of the newly developed instrument followed a two-step approach, including two quantitative paper-pencil surveys (N1 = 111, N2 = 267) with patients of all types of cancer and treatment status at two German university hospitals.

Hypothalamic obesity: Epidemiology in rare sellar/suprasellar tumors-A German claims database analysis.

Hypothalamic obesity (HO) is defined as abnormal weight gain resulting in severe persistent obesity due to physical, tumor- and/or treatment-related damage to the hypothalamus. HO epidemiology is poorly understood. We developed a database algorithm supporting the standardized identification of tumor/treatment-related HO (TTR-HO) patients.

Digital Medication Management in Polypharmacy—Findings of a Cluster-Randomized, Controlled Trial With a Stepped-Wedge Design in Primary Care Practices (AdAM).

Background: Inappropriate drug prescriptions for patients with polypharmacy can have avoidable adverse consequences. We studied the effects of a clinical decision-support system (CDSS) for medication management on hospitalizations and mortality.

Methods: This stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized, controlled trial involved an open cohort of adult patients with polypharmacy in primary care practices (=clusters) in Westphalia-Lippe, Germany.

Epidemiology of Pertussis and Pertussis-Related Complications in Adults: A German Claims Data Analysis.

Introduction: Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory infection. It affects people of all ages, yet evidence of the impact of pertussis in adults with underlying conditions (UCs) is scarce. This study investigated the incidence and complication rate of pertussis in adult patients with and without UC.