[The German program for disease management guidelines. Background, methods, and development process].
The Program for National Disease Management Guidelines (German DM-CPG Program) was established in 2002 by the German Medical Association (umbrella organization of the German Chambers of Physicians) and joined by the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies (AWMF; umbrella organization of more than 150 professional societies) and by the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (NASHIP) in 2003. The program provides a conceptual basis for disease management, focusing on high-priority health-care topics and aiming at the implementation of best practice recommendations for prevention, acute care, rehabilitation and chronic care. It is organized by the German Agency for Quality in Medicine, a founding member of the Guidelines International Network (G-I-N). The main objective of the German DM-CPG Program is to establish consensus of the medical professions on evidence-based key recommendations covering all sectors of health-care provision and facilitating the coordination of care for the individual patient through time and across interfaces. Within the last year, DM-CPGs have been published for asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, type 2 diabetes, and coronary heart disease. In addition, experts from national patient self-help groups have been developing patient guidance based upon the recommendations for health-care providers. The article describes background, methods, and tools of the DM-CPG Program, and is the first of a publication series dealing with innovative recommendations and aspects of the program.
Ollenschläger
Günter
G
Arztliches Zentrum für Qualität in der Medizin (AZQ), Berlin. ollenschlaeger@azq.de
Kopp
Ina
I
Lelgemann
Monika
M
Sänger
Sylvia
S
Heymans
Lothar
L
Thole
Henning
H
Trapp
Henrike
H
Lorenz
Wilfried
W
Selbmann
Hans-Konrad
HK
Encke
Albrecht
A
D019468:Disease Management; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011786:Quality Control; D012657:Self-Help Groups / Q000458:organization & administration; D012955:Societies, Medical