title: [Structural and process quality in outpatient psychosocial cancer counselling centres. evaluating a major funding programme of the "Deutsche Krebshilfe e.V."].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In 2007, the German Cancer Aid ("Deutsche Krebshilfe e.V.") initiated and funded a programme in 28 selected cancer counselling centres in Germany attempting to both promote and strengthen quality assured psychosocial cancer counselling as well as to ensure long-term financing. The accompanying evaluation programme aims to collect structural data of the institutions and to evaluate processes of quality assurance within the sample of cancer counselling centres.
  
  
  METHODS
  On the basis of structured research within scientific databases and internet, as well as with the support of experts, characteristics of structural quality of cancer counselling centres were identified. Structural data were collected using a self-developed questionnaire and a semi-structured interview during the on-site visitations of the institutions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results show homogeneity in some fields of structural quality such as individual psycho-oncological and social counselling, human resources, room facilities, quality assurance, diagnostics, documentation and public relations. Structural quality of the investigated centres appears more heterogeneous with regard to aspects such as availability and accessibility, barrier-free access, group support offers (counselling, sports, arts, etc.) as well as cooperation, financing and written mission statements.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The investigated cancer counselling centres ensure mainly good minimum standards according to structural quality of cancer counselling. There is potential for further optimisation including cooperation, quality assurance, room facilities and being differentiated in terms of conceptual content and working concepts. Further achievements on quality assured cancer counselling can use the presented data as a basis for describing minimum standards and obligatory quality criteria.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Medizinische Psychologie und Medizinische Soziologie, Sektion Psychosoziale Onkologie, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eichhorn
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Medizinische Psychologie und Medizinische Soziologie, Sektion Psychosoziale Onkologie, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuhnt
authors.affiliation: Institut für Reha-Forschung und Prävention, Klinik für Tumorbiologie, Freiburg.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Giesler
authors.affiliation: Institut für Reha-Forschung und Prävention, Klinik für Tumorbiologie, Freiburg.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schreib
authors.affiliation: Institut für Reha-Forschung und Prävention, Klinik für Tumorbiologie, Freiburg.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Voelklin
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Medizinische Psychologie und Medizinische Soziologie, Sektion Psychosoziale Onkologie, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brähler
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Medizinische Psychologie und Medizinische Soziologie, Sektion Psychosoziale Onkologie, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ernst
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Medizinische Psychologie und Medizinische Soziologie, Sektion Psychosoziale Onkologie, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mehnert
authors.affiliation: Institut für Reha-Forschung und Prävention, Klinik für Tumorbiologie, Freiburg.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weis
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000458:organization & administration*; D037001:Directive Counseling / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005858:Germany; D006078:Government Programs / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012944:Social Support