title: Routine skin cancer screening in Germany: four years of experience from the dermatologists' perspective.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In 2008, routine skin cancer screening (rSCS) was introduced into routine care for persons ≥35 years in Germany. To date, about 95% of approximately 3,500 office-based dermatologists participate in this program paid by the statutory health insurances.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate German rSCS from the dermatologists' perspective.
  
  
  METHODS
  Since 2009, every year standardized questionnaires were sent nationwide to about 2,000 dermatologists, once yearly addressing the actual patients, screenings and treatments, the personal experiences and the dermatologists' attitudes towards rSCS. Descriptive data analysis from 2009, 2010 and 2011 was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average dermatologist -performed 1,380/1,364/1,348 screenings annually (2009/ 2010/2011), with a mean remuneration of EUR 21.50/22.10/ 21.93. 32.9/46.6/53.3% of the dermatologists were rather or very satisfied with rSCS, and a rising number of dermatologists (69.4/80.0/83.1%) perceived a better quality of health care for skin cancer since 2008.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  rSCS is widely accepted by German dermatologists and is conducted with increasing frequency.
authors.affiliation: Institute and German Center for Health Services Research in Dermatology, University Medical Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kornek
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reusch
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blome
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Herberger
authors.forename: Florian Christoph
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Beikert
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Augustin
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003880:Dermatology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors