Project Schizophrenia: Positive interim results
24.08.2012 13:05
Around 500 patients in Lower Saxony now benefit from care tailored to their individual treatment needs as part of Integrated Schizophrenia Care (IVS). Frank Preugschat, head of supply management at AOK Niedersachsen, drew this conclusion after completing the pilot phase of the new supply approach.
According to the company, the project contributes to further improving outpatient treatment and sustainably securing the treatment successes achieved in the clinic. This is done through nationwide integrated and cross-sector supply management. “Patients with schizophrenia are supported in their usual living environment to master their illness and to lead as normal a life as possible, integrated into their social environment,” explains Preugschat. The treatment is based on the specific, individual needs of the patient and the current scientific guidelines. The contractual partners are AOK Niedersachsen and the Institute for Innovation and Integration in Healthcare (I3G) GmbH. Their subsidiary Care4S GmbH takes care of supporting the networks of those involved in the local supply.
“Since the initiative started in autumn 2010, we have successfully tested the model in various pilot regions,” says Preugschat. “The initial results show that patients benefit significantly from the stronger networking of those involved in the care.” Marlis Richter, Managing Director of I3G , adds: “Only the doctor has the sovereignty over therapy and makes the appropriate decisions in coordination with his patients.”
After initial analyzes and feedback from doctors, nursing services and patients as well as the advisory board of external experts, the initiators commissioned a newly structured Care4S GmbH to carry out the practical implementation of the IVS in Lower Saxony. The commitment of the shareholder of Care4S, which was operating in the pilot phase, Turgot Ventures, expired at the end of March. The structure of Care4S has now been expanded to include eight regional IV coordinators in order to intensify cooperation with the existing structures in Lower Saxony.
The first quality report on the initiative will be available in autumn this year. The results of the external scientific evaluation by the universities of Duisburg-Essen (Professor Wasem) and Göttingen (Professor Falkai) are expected at the end of 2013.