mHealth Apps in German Outpatient Mental Health Care: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Approach.

Background: Mental disorders are complex diseases that affect 28% (about 17.8 million people) of the adult population in Germany annually. Since 2020, certain mobile health (mHealth) apps, so-called digital health applications (DiGA), are reimbursable in the German statutory health insurance system.

Exceeding the guideline-recommended maximum daily dose of opioids for long-term treatment of non-cancer pain in Germany - a large retrospective observational study.

Background: High-dose long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) has been associated with increased mortality and hospitalizations. Therefore, the evidence-based German guideline on LTOT for chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) recommends to only exceed the maximum daily dose (MDD) of opioids in exceptional cases. This study aimed to determine the portion of LTOT patients who exceeded the guideline-recommended MDD and identify predictors of exceeding in administrative claims data.

Quality assessment of mHealth apps: a scoping review.

Introduction: The number of mHealth apps has increased rapidly during recent years. Literature suggests a number of problems and barriers to the adoption of mHealth apps, including issues such as validity, usability, as well as data privacy and security. Continuous quality assessment and assurance systems might help to overcome these barriers.

Problems and Barriers Related to the Use of mHealth Apps From the Perspective of Patients: Focus Group and Interview Study.

Background: Since fall 2020, mobile health (mHealth) apps have become an integral part of the German health care system. The belief that mHealth apps have the potential to make the health care system more efficient, close gaps in care, and improve the economic outcomes related to health is unwavering and already partially confirmed. Nevertheless, problems and barriers in the context of mHealth apps usually remain unconsidered.

Prescription of Opioid Analgesics for Chronic Non-Cancer Pain in Germany despite Contraindications: Administrative Claims Data Analysis.

In Germany, long-term opioid treatment (L-TOT) for chronic non-tumor pain (CNTP) is discussed as not being performed according to the German guideline on L-TOT for CNTP. In the present analysis, the occurrence and predictors of inappropriate care/overuse in a cohort of German insureds with L-TOT for CNTP by the presence of a contraindication with concurrent opioid analgesic (OA) therapy were investigated. We also analyzed whether prescribing physicians themselves diagnosed a contraindication.

A Best-Worst Scaling Study of the General Population's Preferences for Activities in Living Arrangements for Persons With Dementia.

Background: Activity involvement is a central element of dementia care. However, few studies have examined preferences for types of activities for persons who may be in need of care in the future. In this study, a best-worst scaling (BWS) was conducted to gather insights on preferred activities in small-scale living arrangements for dementia in the general population aged 50-65 years from rural and urban regions.

Preferences for Living Arrangements in Dementia: A Discrete Choice Experiment.

Background: Dementia affects about 55 million people worldwide. Demographic change and shifting lifestyles challenge the organization of dementia care. A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was conducted to elicit preferences for living arrangements in dementia in urban and rural regions of Germany.

[Evaluating the reform of the psychotherapy guideline using a mixed-methods approach: a study protocol].

Introduction: In Germany, psychotherapy in outpatient statutory health care is regulated by the Psychotherapy Guideline (PT-GL). A discussion on waiting times and inadequate care for patients resulted in a structural reform of the PT-GL in 2017. The reform aims to improve access to psychotherapy and the entire course of care and treatment.

Problems and Barriers Related to the Use of Digital Health Applications: Scoping Review.

Background: The digitization of health care led to a steady increase in the adoption and use of mobile health (mHealth) apps. Germany is the first country in the world to cover the costs of mHealth apps through statutory health insurance. Although the benefits of mHealth apps are discussed in detail, aspects of problems and barriers are rarely studied.

[Reform Implementation of the Psychotherapy Guideline 2017: Results from Focus Groups Within the Framework of the Innovation Fund Project EVA PT-RL].

Background: Mental illnesses cause both individual and social burdens. The main goal of the structural reform of the Psychotherapy Guideline of 2017 was to improve access to psychotherapeutic care. The focus groups, which were conducted as part of the research project "Evaluation of the Psychotherapy Guideline (Eva PT-RL)" funded by the Innovation Fund, address the implementation of the goals of the reform and the individual newly introduced care elements as well as hurdles to implementation from the perspective of service providers, patients and insurers.

Quality Assessment of Digital Health Applications: Protocol for a Scoping Review.

Background: All over the world, development and usage of mobile health (mHealth) apps is increasing. While apps offer numerous opportunities to improve health care, there are associated problems that differ significantly from those of traditional health care services. Further investigations on the quality of mHealth apps are needed to address these problems.

Problems and Barriers Related to the Use of Digital Health Applications: Protocol for a Scoping Review.

Background: The use of mobile health (mHealth) apps is increasing rapidly worldwide. More and more institutions and organizations develop regulations and guidelines to enable an evidence-based and safe use. In Germany, mHealth apps fulfilling predefined criteria (Digitale Gesundheitsanwendungen [DiGA]) can be prescribed and are reimbursable by the German statutory health insurance scheme.

[Reimbursement for New Examination and Treatment Methods of Outpatients: Comparison of Statutory Health and Private Medical Insurance].

Aim Of The Study: The aim of the study was to compare the timeliness of reimbursement for new examination and treatment methods in outpatient care in the social (SHI) and private insurance system (PHI) in Germany.

Methodology: For the reimbursement in the SHI system, the decisions and further documentation of the Joint Federal Committee and the evaluation committee could be used. For the reimbursement in the PHI system, for example, the resolutions of the Central Consultation Committee for Fee Schedule Questions and those of the Fee Schedule Committee, but also evaluations of the North Rhine Medical Association and a working group of the German Association of PHI were used.