title: Explaining differences in stakeholder take up of disease management programmes: A comparative analysis of policy implementation in Austria and Germany.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Understanding why policies to improve care for people with chronic conditions fail to be implemented is a pressing issue in health system reform. We explore reasons for the relatively high uptake of disease management programmes (DMPs) in Germany, in contrast to low uptake in Austria. We focus on the motivation, information and power of key stakeholder groups (payers, physician associations, individual physicians and patients).
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a comparative stakeholder analysis using qualitative data from interviews (n=15 in Austria and n=26 in Germany), legal documents and media reports.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stakeholders in Germany appeared to have systematically stronger motivation, exposure to more positive information about DMPs and better ability to implement DMPs than their counterparts in Austria. Policy in Austria focused on financial incentives to physicians only. In Germany, limited evidence about the quality improvement and cost savings potential of DMPs was mitigated by strong financial incentives to sickness funds but proved a fundamental obstacle in Austria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Efforts to promote DMPs should seek to ensure the cooperation of payers and patients, not just physicians, using a mix of financial and non-financial instruments suited to the context. A singular focus on financially incentivising providers is unlikely to stimulate uptake of DMPs.
authors.affiliation: LSE Health, London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE, England, United Kingdom; Department of Management, London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE, England, United Kingdom; Department of Health Services Management, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München Schackstraße 4, 80539 Munich, Germany. Electronic address: schang@bwl.lmu.de.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schang
authors.affiliation: LSE Health, London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE, England, United Kingdom; Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE, England, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.affiliation: Institute for Advanced Studies Vienna, Stumpergasse 56, 1060 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Czypionka
mesh_terms: D001317:Austria; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D019468:Disease Management; D005858:Germany; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016730:Program Development
keywords: Comparative health policy; Disease management programmes; Health system reform; Implementation; Incentives; Stakeholder analysis