Exploring the heterogeneity in community pharmacist-led medication review studies - A systematic review.

Background: Findings on the effectiveness of medication reviews led by community pharmacists (CPs) are often inconclusive. It has been hypothesized that studies are not sufficiently standardized, and thus, it is difficult to draw conclusions.

Objective(s): To examine differences in the way CP-led medication review studies are set up.

[DNVF-Discussion paper - Specificities, Challenges and Aims of Mental Health Service Research in Germany].

Research in mental health services in Germany is of increasing relevance. To this end, the recently founded "Mental Health Working Group" as part of the German Network of Health Services Research (DNVF) has written a discussion paper presenting key specifics, challenges, and goals of health service research in the field of mental health. Some research-relevant specifics in the area of mental health care, pragmatic challenges of research organization, ethical problems, and particular research topics in this field are presented and discussed critically.

The usage of over-the-counter products by private insured patients in Germany - a claims data analysis with focus on complementary medicine.

Background: An important contribution to well-being of human beings can be observed by the use of self-medication products that is reflected in the constantly growing volume of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. The aim of the current study was to extend the measurement concept for OTCs by exploring the relevance of the peripheral assortment provided by the widely accepted framework of the Anatomical Therapeutical and Chemical (ATC) classification of the WHO.

Methods: The focus was on the prescriptions and drug-related receipts submitted by privately insured persons to 18 private health insurers (PHIs) in Germany from the year 2016.

Prognostic relevance of the loss of stromal CD34 positive fibroblasts in invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast.

CD34+ fibroblasts are constitutive stromal components of virtually all organs, including the mammary stroma, being involved in matrix synthesis, antigen presentation, and tumor-associated stromal remodeling. The most common subtype of invasive breast carcinoma, invasive carcinoma of no special type (IBC-NST), is known for its stromal loss of CD34+ fibroblasts while acquiring alpha smooth muscle actin-positive (α-SMA+) myofibroblasts, i.e.

[Memorandum Registry for Health Services Research: Update 2019].

Health registries could be used to analyze questions concerning routine practice in healthcare. Therefore, registries are a core method in health services research. The German Network for Health Services Research (Deutsches Netzwerk Versorgungsforschung, DNVF) promotes the quality of registries by scientific exchange, organization of advanced training, and recommendations in the form of a memorandum "Registry for Health Services Research".

Meeting the needs of multimorbid patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus - A randomized controlled trial to assess the impact of a care management intervention aiming to improve self-care.

Aims: This study explored the impact of a care management intervention aiming to improve self-care behavior in multimorbid individuals with Type 2 diabetes mellitus on health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Methods: A patient-level randomized parallel-group superiority trial with 32 primary care practice teams, 11 care managers and 495 patients was conducted. The intervention was delivered as add-on to an already implemented disease management program and embedded in a network of primary care practices.

A Personal Electronic Health Record: Study Protocol of a Feasibility Study on Implementation in a Real-World Health Care Setting.

Background: A significant potential for patient empowerment is seen in concepts aiming to give patients access to their personal health information (PHI) and to share this PHI across different care settings and health systems. Personal health records (PHRs) and the availability of information through health information exchanges are considered to be key components of effective and efficient health care. With tethered PHRs, as often used in the United States, patients' opportunities to manage their PHI are strongly restricted.

The adherence paradox: guideline deviations contribute to the increased 5-year survival of breast cancer patients.

Background: In German breast cancer care, the S1-guidelines of the 1990s were substituted by national S3-guidelines in 2003. The application of guidelines became mandatory for certified breast cancer centers. The aim of the study was to assess guideline adherence according to time intervals and its impact on survival.

Convergence with SEER database achieved by a breast cancer network: a longitudinal benchmark of 5-year relative survival.

Purpose: To benchmark outcomes of a German breast cancer network with the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results programme (SEER) of the USA from a longitudinal point of view.

Methods: All women receiving primary breast cancer therapy of three hospitals in a rural district of Marburg-Biedenkopf (Germany) of time intervals 1996-1997 and 2003-2004 were used to define local benchmark objects. Data from SEER-programme contributed longitudinal benchmark objects from national level (1988-2004).

Practice network-based care management for patients with type 2 diabetes and multiple comorbidities (GEDIMAplus): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Care management interventions in the German health-care system have been evaluated with promising results, but further research is necessary to explore their full potential in the context of multi-morbidity. Our aim in this trial is to assess the efficacy of a primary care practice network-based care management intervention in improving self-care behaviour among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and multiple co-occurring chronic conditions.

Methods/design: The study is designed as a prospective, 18-month, multicentre, investigator-blinded, two-arm, open-label, individual-level, randomized parallel-group superiority trial.

[Cost effectiveness of a health insurance based case management programme for patients with affective disorders].

Objective: Health economic evaluation of a health insurance based case management intervention for persons with mood to severe depressive disorders from payers' perspective. Intervention intended to raise utilization rates of outpatient health services.

Methods: Comparison of patients of one German health insurance company in two different regions/states.

[Optimized quality of care for affective disorders by health insurance-based case-management: a controlled cost-study].

Objective: Improvement of depression treatment by health insurance based case-management. Criteria of improvement were a higher treatment rate of patients suffering from affective disorders or depression by psychiatrists or psychotherapists than by general practitioners or family doctors and sickness fund payments.

Methods: Training of health insurance account managers (characteristics of depression, counselling and, case management techniques).

Service provision for mentally disordered homeless people.

Purpose Of Review: Mentally ill homeless persons are among the most neglected or marginalized patient groups. Their needs for mental healthcare are widely unmet. The current economic crisis probably accelerates the social decline and deterioration of physical and mental health in high-risk groups worldwide and increases the need for appropriate treatments, services, and prevention strategies.

Using relative survival measures for cross-sectional and longitudinal benchmarks of countries, states, and districts: the BenchRelSurv- and BenchRelSurvPlot-macros.

Background: The objective of screening programs is to discover life threatening diseases in as many patients as early as possible and to increase the chance of survival. To be able to compare aspects of health care quality, methods are needed for benchmarking that allow comparisons on various health care levels (regional, national, and international).

Objectives: Applications and extensions of algorithms can be used to link the information on disease phases with relative survival rates and to consolidate them in composite measures.

Valid comparisons and decisions based on clinical registers and population based cohort studies: assessing the accuracy, completeness and epidemiological relevance of a breast cancer query database.

Background: Data accuracy and completeness are crucial for ensuring both the correctness and epidemiological relevance of a given data set. In this study we evaluated a clinical register in the administrative district of Marburg-Biedenkopf, Germany, for these criteria.

Methods: The register contained data gathered from a comprehensive integrated breast-cancer network from three hospitals that treated all included incident cases of malignant breast cancer in two distinct time periods from 1996-97 (N=389) and 2003-04 (N=488).

Treating alcoholism reduces financial burden on care-givers and increases quality-adjusted life years.

Aims: The study assessed the alcoholism-related financial burden borne by informal care-givers and relatives of German alcoholic patients.

Design: By using an exploratory approach, care-giver burden was assessed both prior to and 12 months after detoxification and withdrawal. Quality-of-life data for care-givers collected during follow-up were used to calculate the number of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained by alcoholics' family members while their relatives are undergoing treatment.

The prognostic value of early transcranial Doppler ultrasound following cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

The aim of the presented study was to estimate the prognostic value of transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD) for the prediction of clinical outcome of patients after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the basis of the measured flow velocity changes in the basal cerebral arteries. Thirty-nine patients (27 men, 12 women) aged 66 +/- 15 y (+/-SD) who had undergone CPR were involved. Serial TCD examinations of the intracranial arteries were performed 1.