Three further innovation fund impulses for standard care

16.02.2022 12:55

On February 16, 2022, the Innovation Committee at the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) voted in favor of transferring the results from two further projects in the area of new forms of care and from one project in the area of health care research into standard care. The forms of care focus on antibiotic prescriptions that are more consistent with the guidelines and health services in socially disadvantaged areas of the city.

The results are forwarded to the relevant organizations and institutions in the healthcare sector - with the request that they check them and, if possible, take them into account. The project in the area of health services research used routine data from statutory health insurance to examine whether control colonoscopies are carried out in accordance with guidelines. These findings are also passed on in a targeted manner.

ARena – Sustainably averting the development of antibiotic resistance

Antibiotics are often the treatment of choice for bacterial infections - however, more and more bacterial strains are developing resistance so that the drugs no longer work. The project Arena has tested how doctors can be supported to only use antibiotics in a very targeted manner and not for uncomplicated infections.

The project was able to introduce and test three support concepts at the participating medical practices. One module in particular has the potential to significantly strengthen the guideline-compliant use of antibiotics in Germany: This combines quality circles, data-based feedback reports, e-learning, result-based remuneration for doctors, public relations campaigns and targeted patient information.

The Innovation Committee is in favor of incorporating the new form of care into standard care and also including other tried-and-tested approaches to promote guideline-compliant antibiotic prescriptions - e.g. RESIST – to be taken into account. The associations of health and nursing care insurance funds at the federal level and the associations of statutory health insurance physicians are asked to examine whether the knowledge gained in the project can be used to further develop standard care or selective contractual services and to improve quality. In addition, the Federal Center for Health Education and the Robert Koch Institute receive the results in order to use them for further information and educational work if necessary.

INVEST Billstedt/Horn – Hamburg Billstedt/Horn as a prototype for integrated full health care in deprived metropolitan regions

In socially disadvantaged urban areas there are fewer and fewer general practitioners, specialists, dentists and psychotherapeutic practices. At the same time, life and health opportunities are worse than in better-off districts due to socio-economic conditions. The project INVEST Billstedt/Horn used the example of the east of Hamburg to show how the health of the population in socially disadvantaged districts can be improved and the use of existing resources can be optimized.

The project has established so-called health kiosks in the two Hamburg districts of Billstedt and Horn with multilingual, local and particularly low-threshold care and advice offerings. In addition, a multi-professional health network was set up to improve medical care processes and nursing care across interfaces.

The project results indicate that the tested approaches have the potential to meaningfully supplement and improve health care in socially disadvantaged districts and communities. The Innovation Committee therefore recommends transferring approaches from the new form of care into standard care and forwards the project results, for example, to the health and social ministries of the federal states. The Federal Ministry of Health also receives the results so that the findings can be taken into account when implementing the declaration of intent from the coalition agreement to set up low-threshold counseling services in particularly disadvantaged communities and districts.

KOL-OPT – Incorrect care regarding control colonoscopies in Germany: extent, determinants and conception of solution approaches

Colon cancer is the second most common cancer in Germany. People who have already had to have precancerous lesions removed should undergo regular check-up colonoscopy. goal of the project COL-OPT The aim was to investigate whether and to what extent there is non-guideline-compliant care during control colonoscopies and what causes it.

For its research questions, the project evaluated routine data from statutory health insurance and carried out quantitative surveys of insured people. Evidence of incorrect care was found, but the reasons for this could not be determined with certainty from the available data.

The findings achieved in the project are passed on by the Innovation Committee to various addressees in the context of education, quality assurance and the requirements for early detection of colorectal cancer - for example to the relevant scientific societies, the Federal Center for Health Education and the subcommittees on quality assurance and method evaluation of the G-BA. Linked to the transfer of knowledge is the request to examine its use within the scope of their respective responsibilities. The project also announced that it would develop an intervention strategy based on the knowledge gained in order to counteract the incorrect care described and to ensure a needs-based distribution of colonoscopies carried out in Germany.