Trade-off between benefits, harms and economic efficiency of low-dose CT lung cancer screening: a microsimulation analysis of nodule management strategies in a population-based setting.

Background: In lung cancer screening, a nodule management protocol describes nodule assessment and thresholds for nodule size and growth rate to identify patients who require immediate diagnostic evaluation or additional imaging exams. The Netherlands-Leuvens Screening Trial and the National Lung Screening Trial used different selection criteria and nodule management protocols. Several modelling studies have reported variations in screening outcomes and cost-effectiveness across selection criteria and screening intervals; however, the effect of variations in the nodule management protocol remains uncertain.

[Health Science Research with Primary Care Routine Data From Electronic Patient Records: the BeoNet Registry].

Reliable current information is needed for daily patient care and the health system, but comprehensive data, especially from primary care, are scarce and/or hard to access. The BeoNet Register-Database (BNR) aims to depict quality of medical care in Germany using routine data and with no additional documentation or costs for GPs. Registry design, data structure and database use will be demonstrated using chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) as an example.

[Priority setting and rationing of pharmaceuticals - an experimental analysis of discussion processes].

Background/objective: In the face of rising expenditure among statutory sickness funds in Germany it is necessary to start a discussion about priority setting in the healthcare system. For a long time this issue has been avoided in healthcare debates. As a result, normative directives are still missing, which can lead to priority setting among healthcare providers in daily healthcare practice.

Applying the Analytic Hierarchy Process in healthcare research: A systematic literature review and evaluation of reporting.

Background: The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), developed by Saaty in the late 1970s, is one of the methods for multi-criteria decision making. The AHP disaggregates a complex decision problem into different hierarchical levels. The weight for each criterion and alternative are judged in pairwise comparisons and priorities are calculated by the Eigenvector method.

Treatment-related experiences and preferences of patients with lung cancer: a qualitative analysis.

Background: Lung cancer is one of the most common types of cancer worldwide, and it causes significant challenges for patients due to the poor survival rate and treatment-related side-effects. Because of lung cancer's great burden, identification and use of the patients' preferences can help to improve patients' quality of life.

Objective: Interviews with patients who have lung cancer were used to ascertain a range of experiences and to make recommendations regarding the improvement of treatment based on these patients' preferences.