[Transparency as a prerequisite of innovation in health services research: deficits in the reporting of model projects concerning managed care].
OBJECTIVE
Currently, elements of managed care are being implemented in the German health-care system. The legal basis for these innovations are § 140, § 73, § 137, and §§ 63 et seq. of the German Social Code - Part 5 (SGB V). For the model projects according to §§ 63 et seq. of the German Social Code a scientific evaluation and publication of the evaluation results is mandatory. The present study examines the status of evaluation of German model projects.


METHODS
The present study has a mixed method design: A mail and telephone survey with the German Federal Social Insurance Authority, the health insurance funds, and the regional Associations of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians has been conducted. Furthermore, an internet research on "Medpilot" and "Google" has been accomplished to search for model projects and their evaluation reports.


RESULTS
34 model projects met the inclusion criteria. 13 of these projects had been terminated up to 30/9/2008. 6 of them have published an evaluation report. 4 model projects have published substantial documents. One model project in progress has published a meaningful interim report. 12 model projects failed to give information concerning the evaluator or the duration of the model projects.


CONCLUSIONS
The results show a significant deficit in the mandatory reporting of the evaluation of model projects in Germany. There is a need for action for the legislator and the health insurance funds in terms of promoting the evaluation and the publication of the results. The institutions evaluating the model projects should obligate themselves to publish the evaluation results. The publication is an essential precondition for the development of managed care structures in the health-care system and in the development of scientific evaluation methods.
Wiethege
J
J
Institut für Medizinsoziologie, Versorgungsforschung und Rehabilitationswissenschaft--eine gemeinsame Einrichtung der Humanwissenschaftlichen und der Medizinischen Fakultät der Universität zu Köln & Zentrum für Versorgungsforschung, Eupener Straße 129, Köln.
Ommen
O
O
Ernstmann
N
N
Pfaff
H
H
D003625:Data Collection; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005858:Germany; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011643:Publishing; D012107:Research Design; D058028:Research Report / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*