Impact of suspending minimum volume requirements for knee arthroplasty on hospitals in Germany: an uncontrolled before-after study.

Background: In 2004, the Federal Joint Committee, supreme decision-making body in German healthcare, introduced minimum volume requirements (MVRQs) as a quality instrument. Since then, MVRQs were implemented for seven hospital procedures. This study evaluates the effect of a system-wide intermission of MVRQ for total knee arthroplasty (TKA), demanding 50 annual cases per hospital.

[Medication-based secondary prevention in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease : An analysis based on secondary data].

Background: Peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) is an atherosclerotic vascular disease with high morbidity and mortality. A consistent medication-based secondary prevention is part of the essential and evidence-based treatment of PAOD. The aim of this study was to ascertain the status quo of medicinal secondary prevention based on submitted prescriptions.

Feasibility testing of the Core set of quality Indicators for Paediatric Primary Care in Europe, COSI-PPC-EU.

There is a need to measure and improve the quality of paediatric primary care in Europe where major differences in the delivery and outcomes of child health care exist. A collaborative panel of paediatric senior experts developed a Core Set of Indicators for Paediatric Primary Care in Europe by compiling 42 quality indicators in a modified consensus process following the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method. The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of the quality indicator set in European paediatric primary care practices.

Associations between hospital characteristics and patient satisfaction in Germany.

Background: The patient perspective is increasingly recognized as a central pillar of quality in hospital care. International evidence suggests that an array of interacting factors may influence patient satisfaction with hospital care, whereas only a few studies have examined the impact of hospital characteristics.

Objective: To explore which hospital characteristics exert an influence on patient satisfaction with inpatient care.

Impact of public reporting on the quality of hospital care in Germany: A controlled before-after analysis based on secondary data.

Background: Since 2005 all German hospitals are obliged to publish structured quality reports (QR). International studies suggest that mandatory reporting motivates hospitals to improve the quality of care. We examine whether such an effect can be demonstrated for hospitals in Germany and whether differences exist between for-profit and non-profit hospitals.