Innovative strategy for implementing chronic heart failure guidelines among family physicians in different healthcare settings in Berlin.

Aims: The aim of this study was to improve drug therapy for chronic heart failure (CHF) patients.

Methods And Results: This prospective interventional pilot study was performed with cross-sectional comparative analysis before and after the intervention. Usual pharmacotherapy was observed for 8 months in two different outpatient healthcare settings in Berlin [11 family physicians from individual GP (IGP) practices and 12 working in a medical care centre (MCC)].

[Are there any differences in guideline adherence to pharmacotherapy of heart failure between individual GP practices and Medical Care Centres (MCCs)?].

Background: Chronic heart failure is one of the most important cardiovascular diseases. Patients with this common disease are primarily treated by general practitioners (GPs). Previous research showed deficits in drug therapy.

Barriers to routine risk-score use for healthy primary care patients: survey and qualitative study.

Background: Risk scores for the primary prevention of chronic diseases in healthy adults are frequently recommended but often underused by general practitioners (GPs). The objectives of this study were to assess the use of and attitudes regarding the use of risk scores among GPs and to identify possible barriers to use.

Methods: Between November 7, 2007, and April 4, 2008, 68 GPs in Berlin, Germany, participated in the survey, and 24 were additionally invited to participate in focus groups.