Public health actions to improve palliative care in Germany: results of a three-round Delphi study.

Background: In previous studies, key targets for public health initiatives to improve palliative care in Germany were defined. The aim of this study was the identification and prioritisation of actions to achieve these targets.

Methods: A three-round Delphi study with 107 stakeholders acting on the meso and macrolevel of the healthcare system was undertaken.

Job satisfaction among primary care physicians: results of a survey.

Background: A shortage of primary care physicians (PCPs) seems likely in Germany in the near future and already exists in some parts of the country. Many currently practicing PCPs will soon reach retirement age, and recruiting young physicians for family practice is difficult. The attractiveness of primary care for young physicians depends on the job satisfaction of currently practicing PCPs.

Non-response in a survey of physicians on end-of-life care for the elderly.

Background: Physicians are quite often surveyed with the aim to investigate their opinions regarding provision and improvement of health care. However, in many cases response rates tend to be rather low. The aim of the study is to reflect methodological aspects regarding survey conduction and to analyse factors that cause physicians to take part in a study on delivering end-of-life care for the elderly.

[Teaching health economics, health-care system and public health at German medical faculties].

Aim: On 1 October 2003 the 9th Medical Practice Act came into effect and implemented the teaching subjects "health economics, health-care system, public health" in the medical curriculum. The purpose of the study was to define the content of teaching.

Methods: Interviews were conducted with professors in charge of "health economics, health-care system, public health-at 36 German medical faculties.

[Key measures for developing palliative care from a public health perspective. Initial results from a three-round Delphi study].

Recently, six key targets for public health initiatives to improve palliative care in Germany were defined. This article reports the initial results of a follow-up study aiming at developing concrete measures to achieve these targets. We carried out a three-round Delphi study with stakeholders acting on the meso- and macro-levels of the German healthcare system (e.