Open-sourced modeling and simulating tools for decision-makers during an emerging pandemic or epidemic - Systematic evaluation of utility and usability: A scoping review update.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic had devastating effects on health systems globally. Emerging infectious diseases and pandemics will persist as a global health threat and preparedness for an evidence based response becomes challenging for decision makers. Epidemiological modeling can and has supported decision-making throughout pandemics.

Citizen Views on an Opt-Out Approach to National Electronic Health Records in Germany: A Small-Scale Qualitative Study.

Objectives: Electronic health records (German: elektronische Patientenakte - ePA) are an important healthcare tool. However, in Germany, current participation remains low for their national ePA. To rectify this, the German government recently adopted an opt-out approach to their national ePA system.

Digital technologies for health financing in low-income and middle-income countries: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction: Universal health coverage (UHC) is a global priority, ensuring equitable access to quality healthcare services without financial hardship. Many countries face challenges in progressing towards UHC. Health financing is pivotal for advancing UHC by raising revenues, enabling risk-sharing through pooling of funds and allocating resources.

Costs of delivering human papillomavirus vaccination using a one- or two-dose strategy in Tanzania.

Objective: As part of the Dose Reduction Immunobridging and Safety Study of Two HPV Vaccines in Tanzanian Girls (DoRIS; NCT02834637), the current study is one of the first to evaluate the financial and economic costs of the national rollout of an HPV vaccination program in school-aged girls in sub-Saharan Africa and the potential costs associated with a single dose HPV vaccine program, given recent evidence suggesting that a single dose may be as efficacious as a two-dose regimen.

Methods: The World Health Organization's (WHO) Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control Costing (C4P) micro-costing tool was used to estimate the total financial and economic costs of the national vaccination program from the perspective of the Tanzanian government. Cost data were collected in 2019 via surveys, workshops, and interviews with local stakeholders for vaccines and injection supplies, microplanning, training, sensitization, service delivery, supervision, and cold chain.

[Patients, Partners, Professionals, Payers and Policy Makers Preferences for Integrated Care for Multimorbidity in Germany: A Discrete Choice Experiment].

Aim Of The Work: The aim of this study was to measure and compare the relative importance that patients with multimorbidity, partners and other informal caregivers, professionals, payers and policy makers attribute to different outcome measures of integrated care (IC) programmes in Germany.

Methods: A DCE was conducted, asking respondents to choose between two IC programmes for persons with multimorbidity. Each IC programme was presented by means of attributes or outcomes reflecting the Triple Aim.

Drivers of successful implementation of integrated care for multi-morbidity: Mechanisms identified in 17 case studies from 8 European countries.

This paper provides a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying implementation strategies for integrated care. As part of the SELFIE project, 17 integrated care programmes addressing multi-morbidity from eight European countries were selected and studied. Data was extracted from 'thick descriptions' of the 17 programmes and analysed both inductively and deductively using implementation theory.

The patient at the centre: evidence from 17 European integrated care programmes for persons with complex needs.

Background: As the prevalence of multi-morbidity increases in ageing societies, health and social care systems face the challenge of providing adequate care to persons with complex needs. Approaches that integrate care across sectors and disciplines have been increasingly developed and implemented in European countries in order to tackle this challenge. The aim of the article is to identify success factors and crucial elements in the process of integrated care delivery for persons with complex needs as seen from the practical perspective of the involved stakeholders (patients, professionals, informal caregivers, managers, initiators, payers).

Comparing patients' and other stakeholders' preferences for outcomes of integrated care for multimorbidity: a discrete choice experiment in eight European countries.

Objectives: To measure relative preferences for outcomes of integrated care of patients with multimorbidity from eight European countries and compare them to the preferences of other stakeholders within these countries.

Design: A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was conducted in each country, asking respondents to choose between two integrated care programmes for persons with multimorbidity.

Setting: Preference data collected in Austria (AT), Croatia (HR), Germany (DE), Hungary (HU), the Netherlands (NL), Norway (NO), Spain (ES), and UK.

Digital Health Transformation of Integrated Care in Europe: Overarching Analysis of 17 Integrated Care Programs.

Background: Digital health tools comprise a wide range of technologies to support health processes. The potential of these technologies to effectively support health care transformation is widely accepted. However, wide scale implementation is uneven among countries and regions.

Defining good health and care from the perspective of persons with multimorbidity: results from a qualitative study of focus groups in eight European countries.

Objectives: The prevalence of multimorbidity is increasing in many Western countries. Persons with multimorbidity often experience a lack of alignment in the care that multiple health and social care organisations provide. As a response, integrated care programmes are appearing.

Towards incentivising integration: A typology of payments for integrated care.

Traditional provider payment mechanisms may not create appropriate incentives for integrating care. Alternative payment mechanisms, such as bundled payments, have been introduced without uniform definitions, and existing payment typologies are not suitable for describing them. We use a systematic review combined with example integrated care programmes identified from practice in the Horizon2020 SELFIE project to inform a new typology of payment mechanisms for integrated care.

Exploring the training and scope of practice of GPs in England, Germany and Spain.

Objective: To explore general practitioner (GP) training, continuing professional development, scope of practice, ethical issues and challenges in the working environment in three European countries.

Method: Qualitative study of 35 GPs from England, Germany and Spain working in urban primary care practices. Participants were recruited using convenience and snowball sampling techniques.

Patient-centeredness of integrated care programs for people with multimorbidity. Results from the European ICARE4EU project.

Introduction: This paper aims to support the implementation of patient-centered care for people with multimorbidity in Europe, by providing insight into ways in which patient-centeredness is currently shaped in integrated care programs for people with multimorbidity in European countries.

Methods: In 2014, expert organizations in 31 European countries identified 200 integrated care practices ('programs') in 25 countries of which 123 were included in our study. Managers of 112 programs from 24 countries completed a questionnaire about characteristics and results of the program, including questions on elements of patient-centeredness.

Integrated Diabetes Care Delivered by Patients - A Case Study from Bulgaria.

Introduction: Increasing numbers of persons are living with multiple chronic diseases and unmet medical needs in Bulgaria. The Bulgarian 'Diabetic care' non-profit (DCNPO) programme aims to provide comprehensive integrated care focusing on people with diabetes and their co-morbidities.

Methods: The DCNPO programme was selected as one of eight 'high potential' programmes in the Innovating Care for People with Multiple Chronic Conditions (ICARE4EU) project, covering 31 European countries.

Relevant models and elements of integrated care for multi-morbidity: Results of a scoping review.

Background: In order to provide adequate care for the growing group of persons with multi-morbidity, innovative integrated care programmes are appearing. The aims of the current scoping review were to i) identify relevant models and elements of integrated care for multi-morbidity and ii) to subsequently identify which of these models and elements are applied in integrated care programmes for multi-morbidity.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted in the following scientific databases: Cochrane, Embase, PubMed, PsycInfo, Scopus, Sociological Abstracts, Social Services Abstracts, and Web of Science.

The SELFIE framework for integrated care for multi-morbidity: Development and description.

Background: The rise of multi-morbidity constitutes a serious challenge in health and social care organisation that requires a shift from disease- towards person-centred integrated care. The aim of the current study was to develop a conceptual framework that can aid the development, implementation, description, and evaluation of integrated care programmes for multi-morbidity.

Methods: A scoping review and expert discussions were used to identify and structure concepts for integrated care for multi-morbidity.

Deciding when physicians are unfit to practise: an analysis of responsibilities, policy and practice in 11 European Union member states.

In 1974, the European Economic Community established mutual recognition of medical qualifications obtained in any of its member states. Subsequently, a series of directives has elaborated on the initial provisions, with the most recent enacted in 2013. However, greater movement of physicians across borders and some high-profile scandals have raised questions about how to prevent a physician sanctioned in one country from simply moving to another, without undermining the principle of free movement.

Informed consumer or unlucky visitor? A profile of German patients who received dental services abroad.

Objectives: A common characteristic of sending countries in cross-border dental care is that of high costs and/or high copayments for dental services. This study aims to provide an insight into the characteristics of German patients receiving planned and emergency (unplanned) dental care abroad and their satisfaction with received services.

Methods: The Europabefragung is a postal survey carried out by Techniker Krankenkasse for patients who are treated in EU/EEA countries.