title: [Delegation of GP Work to Qualified Medical Staff in Germany - An Overview].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assure nationwide provision of family medical care, a greater involvement of non-physician healthcare professionals has been discussed in Germany for some time. Currently, there are various delegation models. The aim of this study is to provide an overview of existing delegation models in a German family practice setting and to investigate to what extent they are implemented in practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Internet search was made for delegation models for non-physician healthcare staff, and various experts were contacted in April 2014. Models that explicitly addressed family practice, involved continuing education of more than 80 h, and for which health insurance funds bore the costs, were taken into consideration. The models were judged in accordance with the PDCA implementation cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act).
  
  
  RESULTS
  6 delegation models used in family practice were identified for which only 4 qualifications were still available in 2014. The duration, content and aims of the training courses differed markedly. Since 2015, training to become a NäPA non-physician practice assistant (or a VERAH healthcare assistant in the family practice if the necessary supplementary qualification is achieved) is the basic qualification for which costs are reimbursed. However, one important quality criterion for its broad implementation, namely evaluation, is missing in NäPA training. Only the VERAH qualification fulfills all quality criteria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In order to fully implement the delegation models and to strengthen and promote the healthcare assistant profession, the delegation models for which training costs are generally reimbursable should satisfy all quality criteria and also be subject to continual evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Allgemeinmedizin, Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mergenthal
authors.affiliation: Institut für Allgemeinmedizin, Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leifermann
authors.affiliation: Institut für Allgemeinmedizin, Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beyer
authors.affiliation: Institut für Allgemeinmedizin, Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main.
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Gerlach
authors.affiliation: Institut für Allgemeinmedizin, Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt am Main.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Güthlin
mesh_terms: D032022:Delegation, Professional / Q000191:economics*; D058006:General Practice / Q000191:economics*; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000191:economics*; D005858:Germany; D007587:Job Description; D008503:Medical Staff / Q000191:economics* / Q000193:education*; D018803:Models, Economic