Implementation of socio-economic variables in risk adjustment systems: A quantitative analysis using the example of Germany.

At least in Western Europe, competitive social health insurance systems have implemented systems of morbidity-based risk adjustment to establish a level playing field for insurers. However, insured persons with specific socio-economic characteristics are still underfunded, leaving incentives for risk selection. In Germany, there is an ongoing debate about (re)implementing socio-economic variables to reduce this undercompensation.

Costs for global guideline-based diagnosis of mucormycosis in patients with neutropenia, hematopoietic stem cell or solid organ transplantation - a perspective of the German healthcare system.

Introduction: Mucormycosis is a rare invasive fungal infection (IFI) which is characterized by prolonged antifungal therapy, high morbidity and mortality rates, as well as increased treatment costs.

Areas Covered: Appropriate diagnosis of mucormycosis is a fundamental component of successful treatment, however, evidence about health economic expenses does not exist. Based on an international guideline approach for diagnosis of mucormycosis, we calculated costs for imaging-based and laboratory procedures and susceptibility testing from the German statutory health insurance perspective.

Navigating transitions: a qualitative study of nursing teams' experiences of educational and cultural transitions in Germany.

Background: The global migration of health professionals in general and nurses in particular, has led to nursing shortages and socioeconomic impacts on health systems in both source and destination countries. Adding to the complexity of the situation is the fact that the nursing profession itself is evolving from a vocational to an academic one. Although nursing migration and academization have been studied from either an institutional or an individual perspective, there is a gap in the literature regarding how nursing teams experience these transitions.

How to optimize the CAR-T Cell therapy process? A group concept mapping analysis of preconditions for a frictionless process from a German multistakeholder perspective.

Introduction: Treatment with chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells involves a large number of interdisciplinary stakeholders and is associated with complex processes ranging from patient-specific production to follow-up care. Due to the complexity, maximum process optimization is required in order to avoid efficiency losses. This study aimed at systematically determining the preconditions for a frictionless flow of the CAR-T process by surveying the stakeholders involved.

Economic effects of next-generation sequencing diagnostics in unspecific sepsis patients - a budget impact analysis from the healthcare providers' perspective in Germany.

Purpose: Next-generation sequencing (NGS) tools have clinical advantages over blood culture but are more expensive. This study assesses the budget impact and break-even point of NGS testing costs from a healthcare provider's perspective in Germany.

Methods: The budget impact was calculated based on aggregated data of German post-operative surgery cases.

Mortality rate and factors associated with in-hospital mortality in patients hospitalized with pulmonary embolism in Germany.

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a life-threatening condition, the prognosis of which is determined in particular by acute decompensation and hospitalization. The goal of this study was to investigate the prevalence of and the factors associated with the in-hospital mortality of patients hospitalized with acute PE. This multicenter cross-sectional study was based on the data of PE patient cases from 36 hospitals across Germany.

What Is the Link between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Dyslipidemia in Adults? A German Retrospective Cohort Study.

Alterations in the serum lipid profile have been suspected in many psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and depression. However, studies on lipid status in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are sparse and inconsistent. Using the nationwide, population-based IQVIA Disease Analyzer database, this retrospective cohort study included 5367 outpatients from general practices in Germany aged ≥18 years with a documented first diagnosis of ADHD between January 2005 and December 2021 and 26,835 propensity score-matched individuals without ADHD.

Hospital Length of Stay and Associated Factors in Adult Patients with Depression in Germany: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the hospital length of stay (LoS) and its associated factors among adult patients hospitalized with depression in Germany. This cross-sectional study included all adults (≥18 years) hospitalized with depression from January 2019 to December 2023 treated in 36 hospitals across Germany. The primary outcome was patients' hospital LoS in days.

Investigation of the Association between Sleep Disorders with Subsequent Depression in Children and Adolescents-A Retrospective Cohort Study with 62,796 Patients.

Background: Poor quality of sleep is a widespread issue in modern society, and even children are being diagnosed with sleep disorders nowadays. Sleep disruption in children can lead to poor mental health in the long term. The present study aimed to evaluate the association between sleep disorders and subsequent depression in children and adolescents.

Attributable mortality of candidemia - Results from the ECMM Candida III multinational European Observational Cohort Study.

Introduction: Despite antifungal advancements, candidaemia still has a high mortality rate of up to 40%. The ECMM Candida III study in Europe investigated the changing epidemiology and outcomes of candidaemia for better understanding and management of these infections.

Methods: In this observational cohort study, participating hospitals enrolled the first ten consecutive adults with blood culture-proven candidemia.

Improving Likert scale big data analysis in psychometric health economics: reliability of the new compositional data approach.

Bipolar psychometric scales data are widely used in psychologic healthcare. Adequate psychological profiling benefits patients and saves time and costs. Grant funding depends on the quality of psychotherapeutic measures.

Facilitators and Barriers Perceived by German Teachers Considering Basic Life Support Education in School-A Qualitative Study.

This qualitative study aims to analyse the personal qualification, attitudes and the pedagogical concepts of German teachers as experts in their profession regarding basic life support (BLS) education in secondary schools. Thirteen ( = 13) secondary school teachers participated in semi-structured expert interviews and were interviewed for at least 20 to 60 min regarding BLS student education. Interviews were semi-structured with guiding questions addressing (1) personal experience, (2) teacher qualification for BLS and (3) implementation factors (e.

Time-dependent cost comparison and health economic impact analysis of second-line interventions for transplant-ineligible patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

Objectives: Novel interventions (axicabtagene ciloleucel [axi-cel], lisocabtagene maraleucel [liso-cel], tafasitamab-lenalidomide [Tafa-L], polatuzumab-rituximab-bendamustine [pola-BR]) improve clinical outcomes in second-line (2 L) treatment of transplant-ineligible patients with early relapse or refractory (R/R) diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The costs vary depending on the respective treatment regimen and the treatment duration, difficult comparability in reimbursement decisions. The objective was to analyze the health economic impacts of novel 2 L interventions and conventional immunochemotherapies (bendamustine-rituximab [BR], rituximab-gemcitabine-oxaliplatin [R-GemOx]) from a German healthcare payer's perspective as a function of treatment duration.

Association between COVID-19 and subsequent depression diagnoses-A retrospective cohort study.

Background: The present study aimed to investigate the association between COVID-19 and the cumulative incidence of depression and the potential role of sick leave in a large representative sample of German adults.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study was based on the Disease Analyzer database (IQVIA) data. This study included individuals aged ≥16 years with a COVID-19 diagnosis in 1284 general practices in Germany between March 2020 and December 2021, and the propensity score matched cohort without COVID-19.

Hemorrhoids are associated with an increased risk of depression in Germany: A retrospective cohort study in primary care outpatients.

Background: The aim of the present study was to analyze the cumulative incidence of depression diagnosis in patients with hemorrhoids and to evaluate the association between hemorrhoids and subsequent depression diagnosis.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study was based on electronic medical records from the Disease Analyzer database (IQVIA) and included 87,264 individuals with hemorrhoids (mean age: 54.2 years; 42% women) and 87,264 propensity score-matched individuals without hemorrhoids in 1284 general practices in Germany between January 2005 and December 2021.

Evaluating the Feasibility, Acceptance, and Beneficial Effects of Online Occupational Therapy for Post-COVID-19 Condition: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial (ErgoLoCo Study).

Background: Post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS; also known as "long COVID") is a relatively novel disease comprising physical, psychological, and cognitive complaints persisting several weeks to months after acute infection with SARS-CoV-2. Approximately 10% of patients with COVID-19 are affected by long-term symptoms. However, effective treatment strategies are lacking.

Hospital Length of Stay and Associated Factors in Patients with Osteoarthritis from Germany: A Cross-Sectional Study.

: There is a scarcity of data on hospital length of stay (LOS) in the osteoarthritis population. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate hospital LOS and associated factors in patients with osteoarthritis from Germany. : The present cross-sectional study included patients hospitalized for osteoarthritis in one of fourteen hospitals in Germany between 2018 and 2023 (hospital database; IQVIA).

When failure is not an option: a police firearms training concept for improving decision-making in shoot/don't shoot scenarios.

Sometimes, policing requires a quick and correct assessment of potentially hazardous situations. The training of tactical gaze control and visual attention, and its positive impact on efficient shoot/don't shoot decisions in police cadets' use of firearms has recently been demonstrated. On this basis, we designed an individual videobased police firearms training that was grounded on the Four-Component Instructional Design Model (4C/ID).

Do laypersons need App-linked real-time feedback devices for effective resuscitation? - Results of a prospective, randomised simulation trial.

Background: App-linked real-time feedback-devices for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) aim to improve laypersons' resuscitation quality. Resuscitation guidelines recommend these technologies in training settings. This is the first study comparing resuscitation quality of all App-linked feedback-devices currently on market.

Ethics of Nudging in the COVID-19 Crisis and the Necessary Return to the Principles of Shared Decision Making: A Critical Review.

Nudging, a controversial technique for modifying people's behavior in a predictable way, is claimed to preserve freedom of choice while simultaneously influencing it. Nudging had been largely confined to situations such as promoting healthy eating choices but has been employed in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis in a shift towards measures that involve significantly less choice, such as shoves and behavioral prods. Shared decision making (SDM), a method for direct involvement and autonomy, is an alternative approach to communicate risk.