[Patient and consumer information centres according to 65b Social Security Code V--means for high-quality information exchange and counselling].
Counsellors of Independent Health Information Centres according to 65b Social Security Code V provide the public with comprehensive information on health and disease-related themes, as well as on their financial, service, and legal aspects; they also provide extensive counselling and psychosocial support. The counsellors mostly have a university background in educational, social, medical, or legal disciplines; they usually have long-term experience in counselling as well as additional professional qualifications. In addition to the provision of information, independent health information centres must also be active in assuring and promoting their own quality control. Different measures are applied for this purpose, however at this time there are no standardised, high-quality activities of the independent health information centres to ensure quality.
Seidel
Gabriele
G
Abteilung Epidemiologie, Sozialmedizin und Gesundheitssystemforschung, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, OE 5410, 30623 Hannover. seidel.gabriele@mh-hannover.de
Kurtz
Vivien
V
Krause
Holger
H
Dierks
Marie-Luise
ML
D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003376:Counseling / Q000592:standards*; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000592:standards*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012943:Social Security / Q000592:standards*