Quality management in practices: Annual reports 2021 published
24.11.2022 14:11
Quality management is widely established in German practices. These are the results of the 2021 annual reports of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians and the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Dentists (KBV, KZBV), which have now been published by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA). Older practices generally perform significantly better than new ones with an operating time of less than 3 years.
According to the reports, a few instruments could be used even better: In human medicine practices, pain management stands out and in dental practices, error reporting systems are not yet well established. Patient surveys are also only common in around 60 % of all human and dental practices.
Contracted medical practices
The sample of the statutory health insurance associations included 3,278 practices nationwide; the response rate was 94 %. As a result, well over 90 % of the practices surveyed have set up hygiene and emergency management and use instruments for drug therapy safety. 80 % practices also measure and evaluate their quality goals, 92 % describe their processes and procedures, 85 % regulate interfaces and 75 % operate risk management. Pain management, however, is less common in human medical practices (37 %). Patient surveys (57 %) and self-assessments (57 %) also occur comparatively less frequently.
Dental practices
The sample on the status of dental quality management in 2021 included 1,622 practices; here the response was 97 %, and in six federal states even 100 %. Almost all practices (97 %) set quality goals and regularly realign them. In addition to internal practice goals, shortening waiting times (70 %) and reducing appointments not canceled by patients (69 %) are high priority. 99 % dental practices have written down procedures. Patient surveys are carried out slightly more frequently (63 %) than in human medicine practices (57 %). Dentists rarely use error reporting systems. They haven't even used 53 % yet. 23 % use the “CIRS dent – every tooth counts” system. Dentists are comparatively well positioned when it comes to pain management; 84 % practice it.