Exploring accessibility, user experience and engagement of digital media among older patients with depression: a pilot and observational screening study protocol of the DiGA4Aged study.

Introduction: The prevalence of mental health problems is increasing worldwide, particularly in the vulnerable group of older people. The limited availability of therapists, long wait periods and increasing shortage of healthcare resources limit adequate care. As a result, digital applications are becoming more commonplace as an alternative to human therapists.

Educational interventions aimed at improving knowledge of delirium among nursing home staff-a realist review.

Background: Delirium is a neuropathological syndrome that is characterised by fluctuating impairments in attention, cognitive performance, and consciousness. Since delirium represents a medical emergency, it can be associated with adverse clinical and economic outcomes. Although nursing home residents face a high risk of developing delirium, health care professionals in this field appear to have limited knowledge of delirium despite the critical role they play in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of delirium in nursing homes.

Use of the FallAkte Plus System as an IT Infrastructure for the North Rhine-Westphalian General Practice Research Network: Mixed Methods Usability Study.

Background: Primary care research networks can generate important information in the setting where most patients are seen and treated. However, this requires a suitable IT infrastructure (ITI), which the North Rhine-Westphalian general practice research network is looking to implement.

Objective: This mixed methods research study aims to evaluate (study 1) requirements for an ITI and (study 2) the usability of an IT solution already available on the market, the FallAkte Plus (FA+) system for the North Rhine-Westphalian general practice research network, which comprises 8 primary care university institutes in Germany's largest state.

Development and implementation of a treatment pathway to reduce coronary angiograms - lessons from a failure.

Background: The rates of coronary angiograms (CA) and related procedures (percutaneous intervention [PCI]) are significantly higher in Germany than in other Organisation for Economic Co-ordination and Development (OECD) countries. The current guidelines recommend non-invasive diagnosis of coronary heart disease (CHD); CA should only have a limited role in choosing the appropriate revascularisation procedure. The aim of the present study was to explore whether improvements in guideline adherence can be achieved through the implementation of regional treatment pathways.

[Closing care gaps after hospitalization: Study results [intersec-CM] on discharge and transfer management according to sect. 39 SGB V for people with cognitive impairments associated with dementia].

In Germany, there are 1.8 million people currently living with dementia, and the trend is rising. In particular, the health system at the transition from hospital to outpatient care is facing major challenges given the high increase in a difficult patient clientele.

[Everyday Life and Mental Health of Elderly with Cognitive Impairment During the Covid-19 Pandemic].

Objective: The aim is to analyze pandemic-related effects on everyday life and psychosocial health in the understudied vulnerable group of cognitively impaired elderly people living at home.

Methods: Structured telephone interviews in 2020 (n+=+141) and 2021 (n+=+107) were used to survey over-65s with cognitive impairment (MMSE Ø 23.4).

Transition of patients with recently diagnosed Dementia from inpatient to outpatient setting- a scoping review.

Introduction: After being diagnosed with dementia, patients need a medical professional to empathetically address their fears and get initial questions answered. This scoping review therefore addresses how patients newly diagnosed with dementia are cared for in the general practitioner (GP) setting and how the communication between different healthcare professionals and the GP is handled.

Methods: The scoping review was conducted based on the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews checklist.

Mapping the Bibliometrics Landscape of AI in Medicine: Methodological Study.

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI), conceived in the 1950s, has permeated numerous industries, intensifying in tandem with advancements in computing power. Despite the widespread adoption of AI, its integration into medicine trails other sectors. However, medical AI research has experienced substantial growth, attracting considerable attention from researchers and practitioners.

Conducting Qualitative Research under Pandemic Restrictions - Considerations, Challenges, and Benefits: A Methodological Field Report.

Background: The Covid-19 pandemic has a significant impact on professionals working in the medical area, with very high workload and tightened safety restrictions for physicians, nurses, caregivers, and patients. One of the main target participants in health services research are medical professionals. Their experiences contribute immensely to any research project aiming to improve delivery and quality of care.

[A regional comparison of outcomes quality and costs of general and specialized palliative care in Germany: a claims data analysis].

Background: The main framework conditions for palliative care are set at the regional level. The scope of the forms of care used (outpatient, inpatient, general, specialized) varies widely. What is the quality of outcomes achieved by the palliative care provided on a federal states level? What are the associated costs of care?

Method: Retrospective observational study using BARMER claims data from 145,372 individuals who died between 2016 and 2019 and had palliative care in the last year of life.

How and why educational interventions work to increase knowledge of delirium among healthcare professionals in nursing homes: a protocol for a realist review.

Background: Delirium is a neuropathological condition that impairs cognitive performance, attention and consciousness and can be potentially life-threatening. Nursing home residents are particularly vulnerable to developing delirium, but research thus far tends to focus on the acute hospital setting. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) working in nursing homes seem to be little aware of delirium.

Involving Health Care Professionals in the Development of Electronic Health Records: Scoping Review.

Background: Electronic health records (EHRs) are a promising approach to document and map (complex) health information gathered in health care worldwide. However, possible unintended consequences during use, which can occur owing to low usability or the lack of adaption to existing workflows (eg, high cognitive load), may pose a challenge. To prevent this, the involvement of users in the development of EHRs is crucial and growing.

Experiences of participants of a volunteer-supported walking intervention to improve physical function of nursing home residents - a mixed methods sub-study of the POWER-project.

Background: Regular physical activity improves physical health and mental well-being and reduces the risk of falling in older adults. The randomized controlled "Prevention by lay-assisted Outdoor-Walking in the Elderly at Risk" POWER-study investigates whether volunteer-supported outdoor-walking improves physical function and quality of life in older people living independently or in nursing homes. This sub-study explores the experiences of older participants and volunteers in relation to their physical and psychosocial well-being as well as the challenges faced by both groups.

[General practitioners' palliative care activities in Westphalia-Lippe compared to other federal states - Secondary analysis of a survey].

Introduction: In palliative home care frictional loss at the interface between primary palliative care (PPC) and specialised palliative home care (SPHC) is repeatedly pointed out. PPC and SPHC appear to be insufficiently interlinked. The model implemented in Westphalia-Lippe differs from others in Germany: it relies on close cooperation between general practitioners (GPs) and palliative consultancy services (PCS), an early start of the palliative care process and comprehensive/widespread collaboration.

Smartphone-assisted training with education for patients with hip and/or knee osteoarthritis (SmArt-E): study protocol for a multicentre pragmatic randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: Hip and knee osteoarthritis are associated with functional limitations, pain and restrictions in quality of life and the ability to work. Furthermore, with growing prevalence, osteoarthritis is increasingly causing (in)direct costs. Guidelines recommend exercise therapy and education as primary treatment strategies.

Impact of information and communication software on multiprofessional team collaboration in outpatient palliative care - a qualitative study on providers' perspectives.

Background: The communication processes between different stakeholders in outpatient palliative care face challenges when multiprofessional teams want to keep each other updated on patient information. Meanwhile, the software market offers different tools to connect these teams in real-time to improve communication. In the research project ADAPTIVE (Impact of Digital Technologies in Palliative Care), we investigated how information and communication technology affects collaboration and work in multiprofessional teams and what advantages and disadvantages the use of said software might entail.

"I Needed to Know, No Matter What I Do, I Won't Make It Worse"-Expectations and Experiences of Last Aid Course Participants in Germany-A Qualitative Pilot Study.

Background: The need to care for a loved one in a palliative state can lead to severe physical as well as psychological stress. In this context, Last Aid courses have been developed to support caring for relatives and to stimulate the public discussion on death and dying. The purpose of our pilot study is to gain an understanding of the attitudes, values, and difficulties of relatives caring for a terminally ill person.

Use and uptake of technology by people with dementia and their supporters during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: This rapid review aims to identify the types of technologies used by people with dementia and their supporters during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the issues which influenced technology adoption within their usual care routines.

Methods: PubMed, PsychInfo, Scopus, and Cochrane COVID reviews were searched to identify peer-review studies published since 2020. A total of 18 studies were included and synthesised thematically.

[Developing, Evaluating and Implementing Digital Health Interventions Part II - Discussion Paper of the Digital Health Working Group of the German Network for Health Services Research (DNVF)].

The methodological challenges of evaluating digital interventions (DI) for health services research are omnipresent. The Digital Health Working Group of the German Network for Health Services Research (DNVF) presented and discussed these challenges in a two-part discussion paper. The first part addressed challenges in definition, development and evaluation of DI.

[Development, Evaluation and Implementation of Digital Health Interventions (Part 1) - Discussion Paper of the Digital Health Working Group of the German Network for Health Services Research (DNVF)].

The development and application of digital interventions in health-related topics are gaining momentum in health service research. Digital interventions are often complex and need to be evaluated and implemented in complex settings. Due to their characteristics, this poses methodological challenges for health services research that have to be identified and addressed.