Participation in the PARZIVAR intervention was partially reflected in the perception of the rehabilitation patients, but the effects regarding distal outcomes in the intervention group did not exceed those of usual care. There is a need for more research into how concepts of goal setting can be improved in the future to better address the diverse functions of goal setting.
A scientifically sound quality assurance programme was developed that covers specific aspects of outpatient rehabilitation, to a great extent using the same structures that have been implemented in the quality assurance programmes for inpatient treatment. To implement the results presented here, the scientific findings will need to be evaluated in the respective committees of the cost-carriers. The tests of the programme in 24 pilot institutions showed an overall high level of quality, but also revealed potential for improvement in some areas.
The CEBRA project aimed at developing a computer aided procedure by which applications for rehabilitation can be assessed according to uniform and transparent criteria so that the applications together with a recommendation for decision-making can be transferred to the sociomedical services for final decision. For this, we first analyzed the existing manuals and guidelines for assessing applications for rehabilitation with the aim of identifying the main criteria, and then to translate them into measurable parameters. We then developed questionnaires for physicians treating the applicants as well as for the applicants themselves. Finally, algorithms were defined which compress the various combinations of these parameters into a recommendation for decision-making. Between October 2004 and March 2005, a pilot study was performed which ran parallel to the normal processes of decision-making by the insurance administration. In the pilot study, 436 applications were included for which questionnaires were available both from a physician and an applicant. The recommendations given by the CEBRA programme were finally compared with the decisions that had in fact been made by the administration in these cases. The results of the pilot study showed that the algorithms employed are capable of distinguishing very clearly and in a meaningful way between applicants with only minor medical problems and disabilities, on the one hand, and with medium or severe problems on the other. The comparison with the administrative decisions in these cases showed a similar rate of approval (80%) in both procedures. This means that the CEBRA programme does not change the general rate of approval. With respect to the individual cases, however, the comparisons revealed no statistically significant concordance between the two procedures. Reasons for this finding may result from the fact that--even though the same persons were compared--the information underlying the CEBRA recommendations or the administrative decisions, respectively, were not the same and may in fact have been quite different. In sum, we conclude that the CEBRA programme can very well improve the basis of information as well as the objectivity of making decisions on applications for rehabilitation.
A synopsis of different socio-medical consequences of inflammatory rheumatic diseases is not yet available for Germany. Therefore, the data reported during the past decade for rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematodes, and Wegener's granulomatosis are summarized in this article. Apart from clinical studies, relevant data sources were the national data base of the German collaborative arthritis centres, statistical figures from the compulsory health insurance and the national pension insurance scheme. Data were mainly available for sick leave and work disability showing limitations, which frequently occurred during the early course of diseases and increased with disease duration. Furthermore, different risk factors were identified. Measures to maintain continued participation in the labour force, such as part-time employment, partial work disability instead of full work disability, were not being adequately utilized. Only few data regarding the need of help and care were available. The proportion of patients in need of help and care increased with the duration of rheumatoid arthritis to more than 50% after more than 2 decades. This review presents detailed information concerning aspects of the burden of rheumatic diseases, which are frequently not adequately taken into account. They may be useful for the advice and care of individual patients as well as for decision processes concerning the health care system.
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