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Background: Coding diagnoses is part of a physician's daily routine. Good coding quality has several functions; it is, for example, the basis for the remuneration of contract doctors. In the field of general medicine, this process can, however, pose a particular challenge, as diagnoses are naturally more often excluded than made. In addition, the process of diagnosing informs treatment., Methods: 23 semi-structured interviews were conducted with general practitioners from Schleswig-Holstein. The interviews were recorded with a dictaphone, pseudonymized, transcribed and then analyzed by content analysis according to Mayring., Results: 87 % (N = 20) of the participants were male, the mean age was 57 years, and the mean duration of work experience was 23 years. The ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases) coding system was often criticized for not representing general medical practice and placing an increased administrative and time burden on physicians. At the same time, diagnostic pressure from external economic interests was perceived. Specifications of practice management systems or their additional programming options were used, among other things, to search for a code. Particular challenges arose in this context, e.g., complex clinical pictures and lack of time. Prescriptions without indication, among other things, have been made at the request of patients, due to a lack of time and concerns about doctor switching. In these cases, a diagnosis in the ICD-10 code that justified the therapy was sometimes used., Conclusions: The path leading from clinical findings to therapy and finally to the appropriate diagnostic code is a complex one, and it involves various influencing factors, including non-medical factors. These influencing factors must be taken into account in future secondary data analyses. The ICD-10 is not the ideal choice for mapping these processes in general medicine., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Objectives: The aim of the study was to explore the subjective views of general practitioners on the applicability of the Adult ADHD Self-Report Screening Scale for DSM-5 (ASRS-5) as a screening tool for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults in general practice., Method: Eleven general practitioners, who had participated in the validation study of the German version of the ASRS-5, were interviewed. For this purpose, a semi-structured interview guide was designed using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis according to Kuckartz., Results: The ASRS-5 seems to work well in general medical practice. But there is evidence for a lack of knowledge about ADHD in adults among general practitioners and a demand for further training in this area. Moreover, insufficient possibilities for subsequent treatment after a positive ADHD screening were claimed., Discussion: In general medicine, the introduction of a screening using ASRS-5 in cases of clinical suspicion could be the first step towards improving the management of adult patients with ADHD., Conclusion: Optimizing the management of adults with ADHD requires additional information and training initiatives to support early diagnosis especially in the primary care setting, and to reveal treatment options and care concepts for adults with ADHD., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: Postgraduate training in general medicine should be oriented on competencies and profession-forming, as is suggested by the German Regulations on Specialist Training of federal and state governments and the Competence-based Curriculum General Medicine. The learnability of general practitioner (GP) roles and the profession-forming orientation of the postgraduate training conditions during the outpatient postgraduate training period were investigated., Methods: A cross-sectional study in questionnaire design was conducted from October until December 2019 among 220 physicians in postgraduate training who were registered at the Association of Statutory Health Insurance-Accredited Physicians in Rhineland-Palatinate for the specialty of general medicine. The GP roles surveyed were based on the "CanMEDS General Medicine" roles. Using indicators created from the didactic model "Cognitive Apprenticeship", profession-forming alignment of postgraduate training conditions in the GP practices were studied. The data obtained were analysed descriptively., Results: The response of 70 evaluable questionnaires included a gender distribution of 51 female and 18 male family medicine residents. The family medicine residents were almost equally divided between single-handed practices, cooperating practice associations and group practices. Slightly more than half of the female physicians worked part-time, whereas the male physicians were all full-time employees. The roles of "member of an interprofessional team", "health advocate" and "medical expert" were perceived as learnable by 70 to 90% of the family medicine residents. In addition to approval, varying degrees of indecision and rejection were expressed regarding the learnability of the roles of "teacher/scholar", "member of a network" and "employer". A slight majority considered the appropriation of the role of "practice manager" to be critical. Within the survey of profession-forming postgraduate training conditions, the indicators "accessible contact person", "collegial appreciation" and "assumption of responsibility" were approved by more than 90% in some cases. The indicators "access to GP acting" (approx. 86%) and "resilience" (approx. 71%) also received high approval ratings. However, the indicator "continuous feedback" only received a slight majority of approval., Discussion: GP postgraduate training practices in Rhineland-Palatinate apparently offer suitable educational locations to family medicine residents to acquire a solid basis for professional practising and the skills for patient-oriented communicating of preventive health-promoting contents. Male physicians seem to follow more traditional professional hierarchies. In contrast, female physicians are more receptive to teamwork but tend to be sceptical about adopting a leadership position. The learnability of particular GP roles may benefit from close collaboration with the practice owner, especially in single-handed practices. In addition, the working time model chosen seems to have an effect., Conclusions: It can be assumed that profession-forming postgraduate training conditions predominate in Rhineland-Palatinate GP postgraduate training practices, where the role of "medical expert" also appeared to be learnable in most cases. In some cases the learnability of GP roles was significantly influenced by the factors "gender", "working time model" and "form of practice". Consequently, it could have a quality-enhancing impact if these factors were taken into account in the development of measures to realize competence orientation in GP postgraduate training., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Introduction: Climate change is the greatest threat to human health and therefore has a direct impact on the work of physicians. At the same time, the health sector is also an originator of pollutants that burden the climate. The concept of Planetary Health describes, among other things, ways in which the health sector can counter the effects of climate change. Nevertheless, the inclusion of contents on sustainable action in the education of health professionals has not been made mandatory to date. The aim of this study is to answer the question of how an intervention has to be designed so that medical students specifically develop an interest in dealing with the topic on their own., Methods: The intervention consisted ofFor evaluation purposes, a qualitative study with guided focus group interviews of attendees was conducted. The fully transcribed focus group transcripts were analysed using Mayring's structuring qualitative content analysis. Additionally, we checked the semester evaluation for feedback on the intervention., Results: Four focus groups comprising n = 14 medical students (11 female, 3 male) were conducted. Dealing with Planetary Health as a topic during medical education was considered relevant. The partially restrained to negative reaction of the teaching practice staff involved to the checklist had a demotivating effect. A lack of time was given as a further reason for not dealing with the topic independently. Participants suggested integrating specific Planetary Health content in mandatory courses and considered environmental medicine to be especially suited. As a didactic method, case-based working in small groups seemed to be particularly appropriate. In the semester evaluation, we found both approving and critical commentaries., Discussion: Participants considered Planetary Health a relevant topic in the context of medical education. The intervention proved to be of limited use in motivating students to deal with the topic independently. A longitudinal integration of the topic in the medical curriculum seems to be appropriate., Conclusions: From the students' perspective, it is important to teach and acquire knowledge and skills regarding to Planetary Health in the future. Despite a high level of interest, additional offers are not being utilised due to a lack of time and should therefore be made part of the mandatory curriculum, where possible., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Introduction: Measures against the COVID-19 pandemic led to restrictions in ambulatory health care in Germany. While the restrictions have been described from claims data, the patients' perspective has been missing. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans-, inter- and asexual persons (LGBTIA) might have been particularly affected by these restrictions because of their vulnerability. Thus, our research questions were: 1) How did the restrictions during the pandemic influence primary care and psychotherapy in Germany from the patients' perspective? 2) Are there differences between LGBTIA and cis-heterosexual persons regarding these restrictions?, Methods: We conducted an online survey with two survey waves in March/April 2020 and January/February 2021. Sampling was conducted via multiplicators and via snowball sampling. Amongst others, the survey contained open-ended questions regarding primary care and psychotherapy. From the answers of the first survey wave we constructed quantitative items for the second survey wave. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was conducted, including linear regression with R., Results: 6,784 participants took part in the survey (2,641 in the first survey wave), 5,442 of whom identified as LGBTIA. Categories of changes in primary care were: no health care utilization, no changes in primary care, insecurity regarding primary care, and changes in primary care which could be less frequent utilization, differing procedures or changes in ways of communication. In the second wave, LGBTIA participants rated the worsening of primary care during the pandemic as being more pronounced. Regarding psychotherapy, the change can be described as no change in care, changes in the form of therapy, treatment in emergencies only and a longer break from psychotherapy. There was no different rating by LGBTIA persons compared to cis-heterosexual persons in the second survey wave. Telephone and video consultations were more common in psychotherapy than in primary care., Discussion: LGBTIA persons were oversampled, so the sample included more people from urban areas than the German population. Due to the online survey form, older people were underrepresented relative to their numbers in the general German population., Conclusion: With respect to future pandemics general practitioners in primary care must be prepared that psychotherapy might be paused and delayed for some time. Video and telephone consultations should be offered to overcome pandemic-related restrictions in the future. General practitioners should know the gender identity and sexual orientation of their patients in order to proactively address health care barriers., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: Specific questions often arise in the context of consultations regarding, for example, diagnostics and therapeutic management. This case-specific search for information is referred to as point-of-care information. In recent years, it has been influenced by an increase in digitalization and by the development of medical expert systems providing information for medical professionals. Data on the search behavior of German general practitioners (GPs) using digital media for obtaining point-of-care information have so far not been available. The aims of this study were to describe occasion-related point-of-care information as a function of the continuing education status and to identify requirements for online research platforms., Methods: In a cross-sectional survey, 829 GP specialists (FÄ) and 475 physicians in training (ÄiW) were invited to answer a self-developed, partially standardized questionnaire., Results: In total, 356 questionnaires were returned (response rate: 27%). Of these, 241 (68%) were answered by FÄ and 110 (31%) by ÄiW; five participants did not provide information on their specialist status. 66% of the FÄ and 89% of the ÄiW look up information every day. 46% of the FÄ and 73% of the ÄiW use their smartphone for this purpose. Both groups most often search for medical content (94%) and for information on medications (84%). Medical expert systems are more often used by ÄiW than by FÄ; 59% of the FÄ and 82% of the ÄiW are willing to pay a fee for these services. A quick overview and relevance of information were perceived as important criteria for good information sources., Discussion: German GPs frequently search for occasion-related information. There are generation-related differences regarding, among other things, the use of and the receptiveness to fee-based expert systems. The clarity of presentation and the relevance of the information provided are important requirements of effective information platforms., Conclusion: The quick search for evidence-based information relevant to clinical practice presents a challenge, particularly in broad-range specialties such as general medicine. Web-based sources are becoming increasingly popular in this regard - a trend likely to intensify in future generations of physicians. This offers great potential for medical expert systems and app-based access to best-practice guidelines. These formats should be further developed in collaboration with scientific professional societies., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: Quality indicators to assess the quality of primary care have only been applied on a national or regional level in European countries, and there have been no comparisons between regions of different countries. In the interventional pre-post-study "Improvement of Quality by Benchmarking - IQuaB" (level of evidence: 3), we aimed to improve and compare quality of process care in 57 participating general practices in Salzburg, Austria, and South Tyrol, Italy., Methods: The intervention consisted of self-audit, benchmarking and quality circles. Quality indicators for eight common chronic diseases (e. g., diabetes) were extracted from the electronic health records in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Based on 19 quality indicators, a supra-regional quality score was calculated and compared using Mann-Whitney U tests., Results: A relatively weak baseline performance was identified in both regions. In all three assessments, the median quality score increased in both regions and was significantly higher in South Tyrol than in Salzburg. During the study period the median supra-regional quality score increased from 20.00 to 38.00 in the Salzburg sample and from 47.00 to 79.50 in the South Tyrolian sample. The differences between the two regions were significant at baseline and after intervention (2012: p=0.015, 2014: p=0.001)., Discussion: Despite data extraction challenges in Austria, we are convinced that our data highlight real differences in (processual) quality of care between the two regions., Conclusions: The reasons underlying the persisting differences between the two regions may include: (1) different functions in electronic health records, (2) benchmarking as an integral part of the electronic health record, (3) gate-keeping system and use of registration lists, (4) state-supported quality initiatives., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Introduction: Contrary to current guideline recommendations, second-line antibiotics are still frequently used in the ambulatory treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI), which are associated with a high risk of antibiotic resistance development. The REDARES project (REDuction of Antibiotic RESistance in uncomplicated urinary tract infections by treatment according to national guidelines in ambulatory care), funded by the Federal Joint Committee (Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss, G-BA)/Innovation Fund is developing a multimodal intervention for primary care physicians to support them in a guideline-based approach. The intervention consists of the following components: (1) provision of local resistance data of pathogens of uncomplicated UTI (Robert Koch Institute), (2) concise guideline content on the therapy of uncomplicated UTI for patients (paper and online), and (3) prescription feedback on practice level and benchmarking among the study participants (anonymized). In a participatory approach and as part of the process evaluation, representatives of the intended target group were interviewed in advance about the acceptance and feasibility of the intervention., Methods: Using guided individual interviews, Thuringian GPs were interviewed before the start of the intervention phase. Following a description of the study concept and the planned components of the intervention, the interviewees were asked about their assessment regarding acceptance and feasibility. The individual interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and qualitatively analyzed according to Mayring., Results: A total of ten interviews with an average duration of 29minutes were conducted and evaluated. 40 per cent of the interviewed GPs were female and, on average, 45 years old. The interviewees described the uncomplicated UTI as an easily manageable condition. The practical nature of the research question was described as a reason to potentially participate in the intervention phase; lack of time or human resources were cited as potential barriers. Regarding the intervention elements, the provision of local resistance data of UTI pathogens was considered beneficial to their own work. The extraction of their own antibiotic prescription data from the practice software was basically assessed as feasible. The interviewees differed in their assessment of whether they would take account of the feedback on their prescribing behavior in their daily work., Discussion: The interviews generated a detailed picture of the different diagnostic and therapeutic pathways used by respondents for uncomplicated UTI. Overall, they predominantly regarded both the study concept and the intervention components as feasible. Although the study population is small and not representative, some of the results seem to be transferable to other regions in Germany., Conclusion: A research question relating to their daily routine can increase participation of primary care physicians in (intervention) studies. Starting the process evaluation before the intervention seems to be reasonable since the results will be integrated into the design of the intervention. The method of data extraction from practice software by practice teams seems to be promising., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Introduction: Due to individual care needs, the provision of care to patients with two or more chronic diseases (multimorbidity) is described as complex. In addition, the number of chronically ill people is increasing, due in part to demographic changes which pose a challenge, especially for outpatient primary care. In order to fulfil patients' needs and to promote self-management as a central care element of chronically ill patients, the use of eHealth applications increases. TelePraCMan will be developed as one of these applications and includes a symptom-based electronic diary, which will be implemented in the established German disease management programme 'PraCMan'. This study is conducted as a part of the TelePraCMan project and aims to detect the needs of potential end users (physicians, medical assistants, patients)., Methods: In the TelePraCMan development phase, an explorative cross-sectional study was conducted with potential end users of the TelePraCMan app (patients, physicians and medical assistants). For this purpose, a written survey was conducted in Baden-Wurttemberg between April 2019 and March 2020. The survey covered smartphone usage behaviour, technology affinity using the standardised questionnaire TA-EG, support network for technical questions and sociodemographic data., Results: A total of n=202 patients (n=98), physicians (n=58) and medical assistants (n=43) participated in the survey. Concerning smartphone use, 78.2 % of the participants stated that the function used most frequently was writing short messages. Health apps were the least used function (9.6 %). Furthermore, patients (12.6 %) use health apps more often than medical assistants (10.3%) and doctors (4.4 %). Participants aged 50 and younger were found to have a higher affinity for technology (mean=3.20, SD=0.51) than participants over 50 years of age (mean=2.98, SD=0.67). Older, multimorbid respondents had a particularly low affinity for technology (mean=2.52, SD=0.69). 10.9 % of the over-fifties and 12.5 % of the multimorbid persons felt able to fix any technical problems on their own without help. Multimorbid participants over the age of 50 were observed to prefer personal support over internet-based support., Discussion: On average, multimorbid respondents in the age group over 50 have a lower affinity for technology than respondents aged under 50 without multimorbidity. The most frequent negative attitude towards electronic devices is also found among patients over 50 years of age, who are expected to be the main target group of the TelePraCMan app. These findings can be used to derive requirements for the design and development of functions of the app, as well as accompanying measures, such as intuitive and simple user interface, a telephone hotline to support users, close consultation with users on the planned functions, and more., Conclusion: Based on this survey, we were able to determine the needs of the future target group of the TelePraCMan app. This is seen as a starting point for the development of an implementation strategy and the pilot testing of the app in primary care., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: The Competence Centre for Residency Training in Family Medicine Bavaria (CCRTB) was established to improve the quality of postgraduate medical training by offering additional seminars and mentoring programmes as well as regular 'train-the-trainer' courses for educating physicians. In addition, residents have the opportunity to participate in a regional training network., Objective: The aim was to assess the burden of burnout and the importance of the learning environment in the clinical training phase., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study. Burnout was assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), which comprises the scales "Emotional Exhaustion", "Depersonalisation" and "Personal Accomplishment". The quality of the learning environment was recorded using the German version of the Dutch Residency Educational Climate Test (D-RECT German). In addition, multivariable linear regressions were performed to estimate the impact of learning environment, year of training and participation in a regional network on the level of burnout., Results: 129 clinical residents enrolled in the CCRTB were invited to participate in the study, 78 (61%) of whom submitted a response. 76 (59%) of these residents were included in the analyses. The present study discloses an increased burden of burnout among residents in the clinical training phase, with approx. 40% reaching a critical burnout score. A higher quality of the learning environment was associated with significantly milder burnout symptoms on the majority of the D-RECT scales., Conclusion: Family medicine residents in the clinical training phase show a high burden of burnout. Therefore, increasing the quality of the learning environment appears to be an effective key element in achieving a reduction of burnout in clinical training. This might contribute to an increase in professional satisfaction, which finally may also prevent migration from the medical profession., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Introduction: Up to 90% of people at the end of life are in need of palliative care. The majority can be cared for within general outpatient palliative care (AAPV) by general practitioners. Previous studies have described outpatient palliative care to fall short behind the estimated needs and to be initiated rather late in the health care process. Yet, little is known about the development of outpatient palliative care in recent years and about the parameters influencing its utilisation. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the number and time of initiation for AAPV and specialised outpatient palliative care (SAPV) in a rural and small-town region in Lower Saxony on the basis of routinely collected general practice data. Furthermore, this study sought to estimate the influence of various parameters related to patients, practices and physicians on the provision of AAPV and SAPV., Methods: All general practitioners (n=190) in two counties in Lower Saxony were invited to take part in the project "Optimal care at the end of life - OPAL" (Innovation Fund, 01VSF17028) between autumn 2018 and spring 2019. In the participating practices, clinical data pertaining to patients with statutory health insurance, who had died in the second or third quarter of 2018, were collected in pseudonymised form and analysed using selected indicators for end-of-life care. The number of hospital stays and the provision of AAPV and SAPV were the subject of the descriptive analyses. In order to take the cluster effect of the practices into account, mixed-model analyses were carried out., Results: The data of 279 deceased patients (48% female; median age 82 years) from 31 general practices were analysed. In the last year of life, AAPV was provided for 78 deceased patients (28.0%) with a median onset of 20 days before death. 52 deceased patients (18.6%) received SAPV with a median onset of 28 days before death, respectively. In the last six months of life, 207 deceased patients (74.2%) were hospitalised at least once. The mixed-model analyses showed a greater probability of receiving AAPV (odds ratio (OR)=3.3) or SAPV (OR=3.2) in the last year of life for patients with oncological diseases. It was also shown that GPs with a higher value on the subscale practice organisation billed more AAPV (OR=1.4)., Discussion: The number of patients with SAPV is at least equivalent to the estimated needs known from the literature in both selected regions. In contrast, AAPV seems to be provided relatively rarely and rather late in the health care process. Relevant reasons for this may be the lack of concrete criteria for AAPV (e. g., ambiguities and competing codes for billing) as well as prognostic uncertainties of health care providers especially for patients with non-oncological diseases., Conclusion: Strategies to further develop end-of-life care should especially strengthen the AAPV provided by general practitioners and focus on patients with non-oncological diseases., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: The Competence Centers for Postgraduate Medical Education (KW) established throughout Germany represent complex programs to increase the efficiency and quality of postgraduate medical education in general practice. So-called Logic Models serve as the framework for evaluations and quality management processes of complex programs in many areas. The aim of this article is to develop such a model, using the example of the Competence Center in Baden-Württemberg (KWBW) in order to structure its complex program logic and use it as a framework for future evaluations and quality management processes., Methods: The adaptation of the Logic Model to the KWBW took place in an informal, nominal group process with employees and participants of the program., Results: We identified 76 core elements of the KWBW. These core elements were classified in one of the five pillars of the Logic Model (input, activity, output, outcome and impact) and categorized according to fields of action and target groups., Discussion: The Logic Model, which was developed using the KWBW as an example, identifies and structures important core elements of a complex postgraduate medical training program for the first time. It seems to be well suited for visualizing the internal logic of this complex program and the interaction of the various elements within the KWBW. It can thus be used as the basis for a comprehensive and systematic evaluation concept and for quality assurance., Conclusion: The model is also a prerequisite for comparative research questions of other university programs for postgraduate medical education and thus offers an opportunity for cooperative development efforts. This article therefore contributes to promoting quality in continuing medical training., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: In Germany, family physicians care for about 85% of the patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. The geographic distribution of the first wave in 2020 was heterogeneous, and each federal state experienced different percentages of patients that died from COVID-19. Each of the 16 federal states implemented its own regulation about medical care for SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. Against this background, the objective of this analysis was to gather experiences made by primary care physicians managing SARS-CoV-2 infected patients during the first wave in March 2020 and to clinically characterize these patients., Methods: In total, 5,632 physicians were invited to participate in an online questionnaire surveying routine data regarding the general care situation at the physician practice level and the care for patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were applied to characterize treatment experiences and to identify patient characteristics predicting the course of disease., Results: 132 family physicians from all German federal states (except from Berlin) participated in this analysis (response rate 2.3%) and provided routine care data for 1,085 patients. Information from 373 of these patients were provided in greater detail. On average, each physician treated 8.5 patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. About 15% of the physicians used video consultations to communicate with their infected patients. More than 82% made positive experiences with the exceptional regulation to provide a certificate of incapacity to work by telephone. Half of the physicians faced equipment insufficiencies due to a lack of protective gear, and in 10% of the practices, the staff themselves acquired SARS-CoV-2 infection. Greater numbers of SARS-CoV-2 cases treated in a practice translated into higher odds for members of the practice to get infected (odds ratio (OR) 1.03, 95% CI [1.01;1.06]). Older persons, males and patients in rural areas had higher odds of a severe course of disease., Conclusions: Our results show that a large percentage of primary care physicians additionally managed their COVID-19 patients remotely by telephone or video during the outbreak, while also being at a higher risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Further, the increased severity in rural areas underlines the importance of strong primary health care in order to enable hospitals to concentrate on critically ill patients., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: Germany is facing a shortage of primary care physicians (general practitioners, GPs). To improve post-graduate training in general practice, competency centres were established across Germany. The core of their work is a seminar programme. It was observed that some GP trainees constantly participate, while others are seldomly seen. The aim of this study was to explore what helps and what hinders constant participation., Methods: GP trainees of the Verbundweiterbildung plus Baden-Württemberg (2008 - 2017), predecessor of the KWBW Verbundweiterbildung plus© program (2017 - present), were included in the study. First, participation in the years 2014 and 2015 was analysed. We recruited the very active as well as the no-show participants for semi-structured telephone interviews. Content analysis was performed by three independent scientists., Results: Participation of n=353 trainees was analysed. N=30 trainees participated in the study (including n=13 no show). The average interview length was 25minutes (13-36minutes). Trainees felt motivated by practice-oriented, varying and learner-oriented subjects. They highlighted the professional and personal interaction and its networking effects. Participants favoured lecturing during working days, topics structuring daily training and supporting every day practice. The seminar moderators' treasure trove of experience and their teaching competencies were regarded as essential. The fact that employers do not regularly grant time away from work to attend the training programme was cited as a major inhibiting factor. Other reasons given for non-attendance included long travel distances, repeat topics or an imbalance between gain of knowledge and social interactions, and finally, a high individual level of work strain, given the dual burden on those trying to combine work and family life and taking on the main responsibility for children., Conclusions: The main enablers (motivators) of participation were practice- and learner-oriented topics and beneficial social interactions. During the seminars, participants experience group membership and the enthusiastic (learning) atmosphere boosts trainees to proceed with their training and follow their career paths in general practice. Continuous participation requires protected time. Competence centres for postgraduate medical education should take these findings into consideration for quality management and programme planning, and, if possible, should initiate and evaluate appropriate countermeasures., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: By comparison with other countries of the European Union Germany is only middle-ranking in terms of telemedicine usage. There is a relevant gap between the legal framework and the actual state of implementation. Healthcare providers play an important role in this implementation process as they are increasingly confronted with the application of telemedical scenarios. Therefore, the aim of this survey was to determine attitudes towards telemedicine of postgraduate trainees in Family Medicine (FM) in Germany., Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between July and October 2016 among postgraduate trainees in FM throughout Germany. The questionnaire covered four topics: attitudes towards telemedicine, barriers for the implementation of telemedicine, assessment of useful telemedical applications and telemedicine scenarios. A descriptive approach was used to analyze the data in order to derive determinants for the implementation of telemedicine., Results: In total, 388 postgraduate trainees from 13 of the 16 federal states in Germany answered the survey. Seventy-eight percent were female. Participants' mean age was 36 years. The majority of participants believed that only a fraction of the already existing technology in telemedicine is being used (70 %). The largest perceived barrier to telemedicine was data safety concerns. More than half of the participants (54 %) believed that telemedicine would change the doctor-patient relationship. 51 % of the participants were interested in training in telemedicine. In this respect, it is important to note that 27 % of the postgraduate trainees said their willingness to practice in rural areas might be facilitated through the availability of telemedical backup for family physicians., Conclusions: Participating trainees in FM in Germany think that the potential for telemedicine is not yet fully exploited. Based on the results of this survey the next steps to be taken for the implementation of telemedicine applications can be addressed., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Introduction: The primary goal of medical education and training is to develop clinical competencies. Competency-based curricula exist for both medical education which - once the current reform is implemented - will be geared more towards primary care, and specialty training for General Practice. The "Allgemeinarztbarometer" is a German-language instrument to assess primary care competencies during specialty training and has so far been mainly used as a self-assessment tool. The aim of this study was (i) to test the application of the "Allgemeinarztbarometer" in the context of medical education as an external assessment tool (in its "Allgemeinarztbarometer A [ABA]" version) and (ii) to evaluate its basic psychometric properties., Methods: Physicians involved in teaching were asked to assess medical students after a two-week internship in General Practice during their fifth year of study using the ABA (9-item external assessment version). After data processing and displaying basic distributions, we conducted exploratory factor analysis, followed by confirmatory factor analysis. The detected factor structure was then tested for internal consistency., Results: A total of 150 completed questionnaires were included in the analysis. One item showed a high number of missing values (response option "Not assessable"). Exploratory factor analysis indicated a two-factor structure ("Patient-oriented skills" and "General Practice decision-making"). Three items were not unambiguously assignable and hence erased. Confirmatory factor analysis validated the identified factor structure. The two factors showed a Cronbach's α of 0.73 and 0.84 (moderate to very good internal consistency)., Discussion: Our study provides a first analysis of the ABA in the context of medical education. The detected two-dimensional structure shows a high goodness-of-fit when giving up three items still used in this survey. The analysis of missing data showed a high number of "I can't say" answers when assessing the development of strategies against burnout., Conclusions: The ABA (6-item version) seems to be a suitable tool for the external assessment of General Practice competencies in the context of medical education. Further studies are needed to evaluate both the completeness of the assessment and the external assessability of certain items in the context of medical education., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: Although the role of general practice has been strengthened in recent years, undergraduate teaching at medical schools and the clinical phase of specialist training remain dominated by specialized care of seriously ill people in hospitals. It is to be assumed that young doctors' views on medical care are strongly shaped by this clinical focus., Objective: To investigate how young general practitioners (GPs) perceive transition from medical school and hospital work to general practice., Methods: In a qualitative study, a total of 13 physicians in specialist training for general practice as well as general practitioners who had completed their specialist examination up to two years ago participated in problem-oriented interviews. The interviews were analyzed using content analysis., Results: The significant differences between hospital-based and primary care practice initially came as quite a shock to the study participants. Key differences and challenges compared to working in a hospital included: 1) the totally different type of patients or complaints they faced; 2) learning that in many situations one can and should bide one's time ("wait-and-see" approach); 3) ruling out avoidable dangerous developments in patients reliably and coping with the corresponding residual risk; 4) the discovery that sometimes it makes sense not to make a diagnosis; 5) that the doctor-patient relationship should be more cooperative in general practice; and 6) that GPs are often under pressure to act although there is no clear need for taking action or no clear treatment option from a medical and scientific point of view., Conclusions: Our findings confirm that young doctors' initial views on medical care are strongly shaped by the clinical focus of medical schools and hospital work. Working in general practice is perceived as being very different from working in a hospital., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: The proportion of adults suffering from hypertension worldwide was estimated at 31.1 % in 2010. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of lifestyle changes in patients with arterial hypertension (AH) in primary care., Material and Methods: Systematic literature search in the online databases PubMed, Embase, Cochrane and Opengrey. Only randomized controlled trials of the years 2005 to 2017 in German or English were considered., Results: 11 studies out of 458 identified references were evaluated. The patient groups investigated were very heterogeneous and underwent different types of intervention. Educating patients about the clinical picture, regular self-measurements of blood pressure, or patient memories of maintaining a healthy lifestyle have been used most frequently., Conclusion: There is a need for further studies focusing on primary care. However, many lifestyle interventions seem to show very good effects in patients with pre-existing AH (secondary prophylaxis), so these measures should form the basis of antihypertensive therapy in all patients with AH. In addition, it is important to maintain advice on a healthy lifestyle during drug therapy., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background and Objectives: The use of primary care data gathered from electronic health records in local practices could be an important building block for the future of health services research. However, the risks and reservations associated with using this data for research purposes should not be underestimated. We show the data protection and privacy problems that may arise through secondary analysis of routine primary care data and describe the technical solutions that are available to address these concerns - as a trust-building measure., Methods: We screened 40 variables that are deemed important for documentation in the electronic health records of primary care physicians and rated the risk of patient re-identification when using these records from routine medical data for research purposes. The criteria used to rate the risk of re-identification were "expert perception" (inferences of a professional observer of phenotypical characteristics which are documented in the 40 variables), "researchable additional knowledge" (knowledge of characteristics of a person through publicly available information and social media networks), and "statistic frequency" according to diagnosis and medication statistics., Results: Diagnoses and reasons for contacting a general practitioner can contain particularly identifiable characteristics such as "obesity" (ICD-10 E66) and "nicotine dependence" (F17). About half of all ICD codes documented in primary care fall below a critical threshold value in their absolute frequency; this is all the more problematic if diagnoses allow for re-identification due to phenotypical characteristics. Medication information holds little potential risk of re-identification of a person. However, the application of medications could be a source of re-identification, e. g., self-injections of insulin or use of inhalators. Information about times and dates are especially sensitive for the re-identification of a person. Sex and age of a patient generally pose no problems, except in the case of very young or very old individuals when these age groups are seldom represented in the practice., Discussion: Routine health data are, in principle, sensitive data. Knowledge about the variables in primary care data gathered from electronic health records in local practices and the evaluation of this data allow us to more accurately estimate the risk of re-identification for the persons concerned. In particular, chronic diagnoses and/or diagnoses in long text, calendar dates for patient contacts and therapies bear a high risk of re-identification. Technical measures such as removing data, masking values and coding should make re-identification considerably more difficult. There will always be a remaining risk of re-identification which should be openly discussed to counteract concerns about a lack of data protection or a sweeping critique of digitization in healthcare., (Copyright © 2019.)

Objective: The aims of the study were the translation and a first reflection of the psychometric properties of the Aeronautics and Space Administration-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX), a multidimensional instrument to measure workload in general practice., Methods: During April and September 2015, the NASA-TLX was translated and evaluated. For this purpose, a questionnaire composed of the NASA-TLX items and others items related to demographic data, was developed. Postgraduate family medicine trainees and family physicians were then asked to assess patient consultations by applying the questionnaire. The psychometric properties of the NASA-TLX were identified using explorative and confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's α., Results: Overall, 16 participants completed 769 surveys after a single patient consultation. The highest average was observed for the item 'mental demand' (mean 6.9 ± 5.4), followed by the item 'effort' (mean 6.6 ± 5.5). Factor analysis revealed a one-factor solution with an explained variance of 56.9 %. The German version of NASA-TLX demonstrated a high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.84). Confirmatory factor analysis showed that there was an acceptable consistency between the expected unidimensional structure and the data., Conclusions: The German version of NASA-TLX provides preliminary indications of psychometric properties and presents an important tool to evaluate family physicians' workload in direct patient contact., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Introduction: For the treatment of anxiety disorders behavior therapy-oriented methods are recommended for primary care as well. Within the trial "Jena-PARADISE" a primary care practice team-supported exposure training for patients with panic disorder with or without agoraphobia was developed and evaluated. The present paper gives an overview of general practitioners' subjective views on the practicability, feasibility and effectiveness of this new intervention for both patients and GP teams., Methods: Questions were operationalized based on Bellg's intervention fidelity framework. Fourteen GPs of the intervention group were sampled purposefully and interviewed in a semi-structured way. Generated data were analyzed following Mayring's content analysis approach., Results: The treatment program was positively assessed among the GPs and seen as a useful therapeutic option for inadequately treated patients. The therapy elements 'psycho-education' and 'interoceptive exposure exercises' were described as feasible, while situational exercises and relapse prevention got a less positive rating. The active participation of the nurse in the treatment program was seen as supportive., Conclusion: From the GP perspective, the treatment program for patients with panic disorder and/or agoraphobia seems to be a viable therapeutic option in primary care., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Objective: In the last 20 years, patient involvement in clinical decision-making has continuously gained traction in scientific and clinical (including general practice, GP) discussions. Patients with chronic conditions in particular may benefit from active involvement. Referring to existing studies on shared decision making and regional differences; patients with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) were used as an example to investigate the perceived involvement during clinical decision making in general practice. Differences in treatment options based on the patients' place of residence (East- and West Germany) were compared., Methods: 501 West- (North-Rhine-Westphalia, NRW) and 338 East-German (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, MWP) patients with DM2 and HbA 1c levels≥8.0 were assessed during the cluster-randomised controlled trial DEBATE, which was conducted between 2011 and 2012. The questionnaire to measure participatory decision making (Q-PDM) was used in order to provide an estimate of their involvement in clinical decision making processes, and baseline data was analysed before intervention. The standardised Q-PDM summed value was compared among the different subgroups (i. e., place of residence, age, sex) using bivariate group analyses (t tests), and a multivariate regression analysis was conducted., Results: Patients living in the MWP region perceived a higher level of involvement in GP decision making than NRW residents. Younger patients with DM2 showed higher Q-PDM summed values than older patients. When all variables, including 'GP practice' (number of patients per GP/cluster), were considered together in the multivariate regression analysis, the place of residence would no longer show an independent effect on perceived decision making. The expected difference between MWP and NRW (i. e. East/West Germany) could not be confirmed, while a significant difference remained with regard to age. Education, population density, sex and marital status did not show any relevant differences., Conclusion: Patient age remains an important factor influencing the perceived involvement in joint decision making and should be taken into account while implementing clinical decision making processes in the future. It is possible that patients of different age and with different chronic diseases may need different decision support offerings (e. g., educational videos, booklets or computer-based decision aids). Trainings in communication skills or in the implementation of patient-centred communication might be effective on the GP level to reduce possible barriers to shared decision making., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Introduction: Due to the growing shortage of general practitioners (GPs), solutions are being sought to improve the structure and attraction of specialist training in general practice. In 2012, the Competence Center for Specialist Training in General Practice was set up in the federal state of Hesse, Germany, in order to provide a seminar- and mentoring program to complement standard specialist training. The present paper examines whether the mentoring program, which was based on needs assessment, supports doctors in training (DiT) to become specialists in general practice., Methods: A mixed-methods design was used for the evaluation of the mentoring program. The pilot cohort monitored in this study was surveyed using a guideline-based interview. The cohort consisted of the first cohort of participants in the Specialist Training Academy (n=21), which was divided into two mentoring groups. Responses were evaluated with the help of the MAXQDA 11 program and qualitative content analysis to structure content. Furthermore, all 16 group meetings were assessed by means of evaluation sheets (n=132) and analyzed descriptively using the statistics program SPSS (IBM statistics, Version 20)., Results: Of the 21 DiTs of the total sample that took part in the interviews, two-thirds of the surveyed mentees were female (71.4 %). The mentoring and seminar programs encouraged the mentees in their decision for and their identification with specialist training in general practice and helped them overcome any doubts about their choice. The decisive factors in the mentoring process were interacting with like-minded people, discussing organizational questions and having a fixed contact person in case of questions and doubts. The evaluation sheets made it clear that the mentees regarded the mentoring as supportive (99.3 % positive). Compared to the other mentoring group, participants in the one group felt they were better supported by mentoring, found the interaction with other DiTs more helpful, the interaction between mentors and the group exactly right, and the topics they discussed more relevant., Conclusion: The provided mentoring program fulfilled the expectations of the DiTs in general practice. Combined with the Specialist Training Academy's seminar program, the two programs complement each other and are an important step towards making specialist training in general practice more attractive., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: Behavior therapy-oriented methods are recommended for treating anxiety disorders in primary care. The treatment of patients with long-term conditions can be improved by case management and structured clinical monitoring. The present paper describes the rationale, design and application of the 'Jena Anxiety Monitoring List' (JAMoL), a monitoring tool for the treatment of patients with panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia, in primary care., Methods: JAMoL's design was based on established clinical measures, the rationale of exposure-based anxiety treatment, and research on family practice-based case management. After piloting, the JAMoL was used in the clinical study 'Jena-PARADISE' (ISRCTN64669297), where non-physician practice staff monitored patients with panic disorder by telephone. Using semi-structured interviews in concomitant studies, study participants were asked about the instrument's functionality., Results: The JAMoL assesses the severity of anxiety symptoms (6 items) as well as the patient's adherence to therapy (4 items) and fosters the case management-related information exchange (3 items). An integrated traffic light scheme facilitates the evaluation of monitoring results. Within the clinical study, non-physician practice staff carried out a total of 1,525 JAMoL-supported monitoring calls on 177 patients from 30 primary care practices (median calls per patient: 10 [interquartile range, 9-10]). Qualitative analyses revealed that most practice teams and patients rated the JAMoL as a practicable and treatment-relevant tool., Conclusions: The JAMoL enables primary care practice teams to continuously monitor anxiety symptoms and treatment adherence in patients with panic disorder with or without agoraphobia. Within the behavior therapy-oriented treatment program 'Jena-PARADISE', the JAMoL constitutes an important case management tool., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: General practitioners (GPs) are among the specialists who prescribe the highest number of medication. Therefore the improvement of pharmacological competencies is an important part of the GP specialist training. The self-concept of general practice stating that GPs are the first contact persons for all health problems makes it challenging to define and acquire competencies for specialist training. While the "Competence-based Curriculum" developed by the German College of General Practitioners and Family Physicians defines diagnoses, reasons for counselling and competencies which are essential for general practice, a similar orientation guide is lacking for the pharmacological field. The aim of this study is to define and characterize pharmacological substances which every GP should know so well that he or she is able to conduct counselling and monitoring., Methods: We analysed private and public health insurance prescriptions of all general practices participating in the CONTENT project in the period from 2009 to 2014. The analysis was limited to substances with oral application which were prescribed at least once by at least 25 % (n = 11) of the practices. While the 100 most frequent prescriptions were included due to their frequency, less frequently prescribed substances were assessed concerning their relevance for general practice in a rating procedure. The substances included were classified by diagnoses and reasons for counselling., Results: We analysed 1,912,896 prescriptions from 44 practices and 112,535 patients on the basis of the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification system. After applying the inclusion criteria, 453 substances were left, 302 of which were considered relevant for general practice and could be assigned to 45 diagnoses / reasons for counselling., Conclusions: The result of this study could be considered a working draft for a pharmacological curriculum for general practice, which may complement the "Competence-based Curriculum" in the medium term., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: Academic institutions of general practice at German medical faculties have grown during the past years. This leads to an increase in the need of qualified young researchers and teachers in general practice (GP). Little is known about the interest in research and teaching skills and their training among general practice trainees and young GPs., Research Question: This cross-sectional survey among GP trainees and young GPs examined 1. if there is an interest in the training in research and teaching skills during post-graduate GP training, 2. which fostering and hindering factors have an effect on this interest and 3. which roles are attributed to academic institutions of general practice., Methods: A web-based cross-sectional study was performed among members of "Verbundweiterbildung plus" , a network of GP trainees, as well as "Junge Allgemeinmedizin Deutschland", the German network of young GPs. Descriptive analysis was conducted., Results: 148 GP trainees and young GPs participated in the study, 76% (n=109) of them were GP trainees. There was interest in a position in research and teaching during post-graduate GP training among 55% (n=78). Factors associated with the interest in a position in research and teaching during post-graduate GP training were (MV 5-point Likert scale ± SD): compatibility of clinical work and research/teaching and of family and career (4.4±0.8; 4.7±0.6 respectively). The roles of academic institutions of general practice were attributed to training of medical students (4.6±0.6), post-graduate GP training (4.5±0.7) and research (4.5±0.7). GP trainees assessed the importance of training in research and teaching skills during post-graduate GP training and of the compatibility of family and career differently from young GPs (3.7±1.0 vs. 4.1±0.8 p=0.027; 4.8±0.5 vs. 4.3±0.9, p=0.016). Those interested in a position in research and teaching during post-graduate GP training showed a stronger interest in specific training in research skills (3.7±1.1 vs. 2.8±1.1, p<0.001), a future clinical position in a research practice (3.8±1.2 vs. 2.5±1.2, p<0.001) and as a lecturer at an academic institution of general practice (4.3±0.9 vs. 3.9±1.1, p=0.04)., Discussion: There is an interest in professional involvement in research and teaching during post-graduate GP training among GP trainees and young GPs. For those interested, structured concepts (e.g. "clinician scientist") need to be developed in order to facilitate the combination of clinical work and a position in research and teaching during post-graduate GP training. In doing so, the existing potential could be better exploited and more future GPs could be involved in research and teaching., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: In 2011, the national German Medical Association (Bundesärztekammer) published guidelines for a slim-lined training program in general practice (Quereinstieg) for qualified medical specialists in other fields (e. g., surgeons, internists or anesthesiologists). This step is part of a strategy to prevent further shortages of general practitioners in Germany. In the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, qualified medical specialists are allowed to complete their general practice training in approximately two years instead of five. The aim of this study was to understand the reasons of specialists for changing to a career in general practice., Methods: The postgraduate training program Verbundweiterbildung plus Baden-Württemberg had 597 trainees at the time of the study in December 2015. Previously qualified specialists in another medical discipline were identified and invited to participate in this study. Qualitative data was gathered using semi-structured interviews with content analysis of the interviews performed by three independent members of the research team., Results: In total, 36 out of 597 trainees were identified as previously qualified specialists in another medical discipline. All 36 were invited to take part and 15 agreed to participate in this study. Overall, 15 interviews were performed, with a mean time of 24.19minutes. Participants with a median age of 40 years (33-59 years) - mainly anesthesiologists (n=7), surgeons (n=3) and internists (n=3) - presented with an average of 6.5 years of professional experience in their specialty. First, the participants' motivation to switch career arose from the wish to intensify the quality of patient contacts with a holistic approach including family and social background and from the infinite variety of general practice. Another reason given for a career change was self-employment opportunities. Finally, feelings of frustration over poor working conditions in hospitals resulted in a job search elsewhere in medicine, taking account of the challenges of ageing and family life. A major finding was that without the slim-lined program, the majority of participants would not have changed their career., Discussion: The slim-lined training program in general practice attracts experienced medical doctors. Specialists decide to change career because of the particular ways of working in general practice and with the intention to improve their daily work as a physician, either to improve individual working conditions and/or to improve their individual curative work profile. In addition, specialists are attracted by the concept of self-employment in general practice. Therefore, appreciation of the specific ways of working in general practice as well as management skills are most important during the reduced 2-year training. Further studies should investigate if facilitating a career switch to general practice is a good way to improve the shortage of general practitioners., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Introduction: The consultation is at the heart of general practice. It is the central setting through which primary care is delivered. The competency requirements are laid down internationally by competency-based curricula for undergraduate and postgraduate education. So far, there is no competency-based vocational training to develop consultation skills in general practice in Germany. The study describes experiences with consultation skills training as an element of general practice training as reported by trainees and trainers in Germany., Methods: A qualitative and exploring approach was chosen because there is little experience with the German situation. We conducted structured focus group interviews with trainees and trainers, respectively. We recruited all participants by e-mail via the mail distributor "Junge Allgemeinmedizin Deutschland" (JADE, a trainee and junior GP organization) and the academic teachers of the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg. Altogether, four focus group interviews with three to five participants were conducted, varying in length from 25 to 65minutes. All interviews were recorded digitally and transcribed verbatim. Then a qualitative content analysis was performed., Results: The statements of the ten trainees and five trainers mapped a system of four main categories: (a) association with the term consultation, (b) parts of a consultation, (c) competencies required for professional practice, (d) consultation skills training as an element of vocational training. Overall, all participants regarded the consultation as the most important element in general practice. Important content of consultations is to build a relationship with the patient, gather information, conduct physical examinations and achieve informed consent on further proceedings. All participants agreed that physicians need different sets of competencies: medical expertise, communication skills, examination skills and professionalism. Finally, there was a broad consensus that a competency-based general practice training to support the development of consultation skills is lacking in Germany. The majority acknowledged the need for change., Conclusion: So far, the consultation skills development within the general practice training in Germany is regarded as deficient. Both trainees and trainers have stressed the importance of change in vocational training. With the new competency-based curriculum for general practice in Germany and the associated development of supporting tools important prerequisites have been provided., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: A Train-The-Trainer course (TTT course) for general practice trainers was developed as part of the program Verbundweiterbildung plus Baden-Württemberg. The course included aspects of training such as organizational and legal knowledge as well as didactic skills for trainers in 9.5 teaching units (45minutes each). The present article analyzes the evaluation of the course and considers possible future developments for TTT courses in Germany., Methods: An evaluation tool was used covering aspects such as information, relevance for daily work, opportunities for participant engagement in the seminars and working environment as well as didactic competencies among teachers. Within five years, 256 trainers participated in a TTT course and received an evaluation sheet. Data were analyzed descriptively., Results: 249 evaluation sheets were included (response rate 97 %). Overall, the participants were (very) satisfied with the course in general, its organization, the exchange with colleagues and the teaching units. The participants used the free text mode to give positive feedback; in particular, teaching units in organizational and legal regulations as well as practical feedback training to strengthen professionalism were evaluated positively. Suggestions for improvements included follow-up courses or a deepening of understanding of course contents., Conclusion: The participants gave a very positive overall rating and claimed to have benefited from the course contents. Future projects should address further qualifications of general practice trainers and facilitate the exchange with colleagues on an ongoing basis., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: Routine data of statutory health insurance (SHI) provide a great potential for evaluating the healthcare situation in Germany by providing, e. g., morbidity estimates. In the context of secondary data, analyses based on insurance data were conducted using the outpatient medical billing diagnosis. If, however, medical billing data, which are collected for this primary purpose, are the only source of these morbidity estimates, a limited validity of outpatient medical diagnostic data will have to be assumed or validity will have to be assured. This investigation aimed to analyse the quality of family practitioners' documentation regarding diagnostic data in patients with thyroid disease based on medical records for billing purposes., Methods: As part of the pilot study General practitioners' Views on Polypharmacy and its Consequences for Patient Health Care, the medical records of 548 multi-morbid patients with thyroid disease from six general practices in Dresden, Saxony, were analysed with respect to the congruence of prescriptions of thyroid medication and associated thyroid diagnosis. Logistic regression was used to investigate predictors of limited diagnostic data of thyroid disease., Results: There was insufficient documentation of thyroid diagnoses in 26.8% (n=147) of the included patients diagnosed with or treated for thyroid disease. The proportion of undocumented (1.1 to 35.8%), imprecise (4.6 to 22.3%) and non-specific documented (14.9 to 73.8%) thyroid diagnoses varied in all general practices. Due to undocumented thyroid disease, the corrected prevalence of thyroid diseases summarised for all practices was 5.5 percentage points higher than the originally documented prevalence (29.7 instead of 24.2%). An increasing number of prescribed drugs was a significant predictor for inadequate documentation of thyroid disease (for 5 to 8 routinely taken medications: OR=2.4/p<0.001; for 9 to 12: OR=4.0/p<0.001; for 13 to 20: OR=7.4/p<0.001)., Conclusions: Due to the limited data quality of outpatient medical billing diagnoses as a basis for morbidity estimates, GPs' diagnostic data should be subjected to regular internal and external diagnostic validation in SHI routine data. Additional case-related interviews with documenting GPs would significantly increase data validity. Also, intelligent e-tools supporting electronic patient documentation could be helpful to improve the quality of primary care documentation., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: Medical education is intended to enable students to become a physician who can practise the profession of medicine on his own authority, responsibility and accountability. In 2015, the competencies required to accomplish this have been described in the National Competency-based Catalogue of Learning Objectives Medicine. The aim of this study was to survey the extent to which the respective medical procedures were learned during medical school. Postgraduate trainees were asked to self-assess their level of proficiency in carrying out procedures commonly performed in family medicine., Methods: A questionnaire involving 17 procedures was distributed among 328 postgraduate trainees in family medicine attending training sessions in Baden-Wuerttemberg. Participants could assess the extent to which they were able to independently perform each procedure (ranging from "not able to do it", "able to do it under direct supervision", "able to do it if supervision is provided upon request" to "able to do it on my own", and "able to provide supervision to others" respectively). Respondents that were able to perform procedures without the need for supervision were asked to indicate when they acquired the competency. Data were analysed descriptively., Results: A total of 196 postgraduate trainees (59.8%) completed the questionnaire. The average age was 35 years, 71 % of the participants were female. For five out of 17 procedures at least half of the participants regarded themselves as being "able to do it on my own" or "able to provide supervision to others". The procedure that was most often (52.5 %) named as having been learned in medical school was "otoscopy", followed by "wound suturing" and "mask ventilation" (42%)., Conclusions: Following graduation, GP trainees are unable to independently perform the majority of common procedures in family medicine. This indicates that insufficient proficiency in procedural skills is provided in undergraduate medical education, revealing the need for structured, supervised specialty training following graduation., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: Undergraduate training aims to enable medical students to become fully qualified physicians. The aim of the study was to explore the competences that newly graduated doctors (beginners) bring along from medical school into their postgraduate training. In this way areas can be identified that need to be better addressed during either under- or postgraduate training., Methods: Competencies were assessed using a paper-based questionnaire that was sent out to 405 physicians in Bavaria being in the possession of a postgraduate training license in internal medicine, surgery and anaesthesiology. The questionnaire included items exploring the fields of competencies outlined in the CanMeds role descriptions. The results were analyzed using descriptive and exploratory methods., Results: 190 of 405 questionnaires (47 %) were returned. 96 % of the participants were male, the average age was 54 years. The results indicated that most young medical professionals had the necessary theoretical knowledge to take up postgraduate training. However, putting theory into practice does not work well enough from the physician's point of view., Discussion: An approach to further support the transfer of enormous amounts of theoretical knowledge acquired during years of study into medical expertise is needed. In this respect, recently published competence-based curricula for under- and postgraduate training might prove useful., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background and Objective: More than 600 trainees in family medicine (FM trainees) have participated in the Verbundweiterbildung(plus) (VWB(plus)) since this rotation network programme has been implemented in 2009. Mentoring as need-based support and counselling is an essential element of this programme. The aim of this study was to identify FM trainees' most frequent reasons for counselling in order to explore the qualifications and requirements to be a mentor., Methods: 141 e-mails written between December 2009 and July 2014 were analysed according to Mayring. This procedure generated thematic categories of common reasons for seeking counselling., Results: 32 % of all VWB(plus) participants asked mentors of the programme for advice. The most frequent questions (38 %) related to job vacancies, the application process and employment contracts. The second most common inquiries (30 %) referred to participation in the VWB(plus) as well as contents of education meetings within the VWB(plus). Other questions pertained to general aspects of postgraduate training in family medicine (16 %), individual conflict consulting (10 %) and funding applications (6 %)., Conclusion: The results of the needs assessment survey reveal that a mentoring programme needs competent advisors with experience in family medicine. While FAQ lists are helpful in answering general questions, specific requests such as, for example, a personal crisis require individual counselling provided by a mentor., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: The German Society of General Practice and Family Medicine (DEGAM) has defined educational seminars during post-graduate training as a core element to improve trainees' specific knowledge and competencies. Furthermore, these seminars facilitate networking among trainees and support the process of identity formation in family medicine. Since its implementation in 2009, the Verbundweiterbildung(plus) Baden-Württemberg (VWB(plus) Ba-Wü) has offered educational seminars. Aim of this article is to analyse the content of these educational seminars and to derive implications for other family medicine training programmes in Germany., Methods: From 2009 to 2015, the data from all educational seminars was descriptively analysed. Furthermore, two researchers categorised the seminar contents independently of each other and assigned them to the competence-based curriculum for family medicine training (Kompetenzbasiertes Curriculum Allgemeinmedizin, KCA)., Results: Until 2015, 600 trainees participated in a starter seminar of the VWB(plus) Ba-Wü. In total, 1,116 teaching units and 160 different seminars covered all relevant topics of the KCA. A restructuring of organisational processes and seminars was necessary to handle the increase in the number of participants, including the development of specific software for electronic support. Of all these seminars, 56% were held by specialists or trainees in family medicine. The participating trainees rated the educational seminars in general and the possibility for networking as (very) good., Conclusions: The contents of the educational seminars included in family medicine training programs will have to be specifically based on family medicine and cover all relevant aspects of the KCA - medical expertise, competencies and procedures. In order to ensure a common standard concerning didactic methods and qualifications of teachers, a didactic guideline is to be developed. The increasing demand of family medicine training programmes requires (further) development of the software eSchoolab, including integration of the KCA., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: Statistical projections suggest that by 2020 the number of general practitioners (GPs) in Germany will have decreased by about 13 %, which will lead to a risk of medical undersupply, especially in rural areas. This study was conducted on behalf of the Bavarian Ministry of Environment and Health in order to answer the following questions: How satisfied are young Bavarian physicians in GP specialty training with their training situation? To what extent are they willing to start a private practice, in general and, in particular, in rural areas?, Method: The study's online questionnaire contained items concerning the context of GP specialty training and the willingness to set up a private practice. In addition, the "Heidelberger Niederlassungsbarometer", a structured questionnaire illustrating self-assessment of competencies of GPs in training, was included in the survey. We asked GP specialty trainees to participate by e-maiI, directly or via their GP trainers., Results: In total, 99 questionnaires were returned, whereof 95 fulfilled the criteria for analysis. In 76 % of the cases participants were female, 63 % working in practice and 37 % in a structured training programme. The majority of participants (58 %) preferred to work in a practice with more than one GP, followed by those preferring to work as a salaried GP (26 %). Their disposition to work in rural areas after having passed their specialty certificate examination was high or very high (59 %). Feedback on a regular basis was given to 29 % of the study participants. Almost every second participant received a structured initial training programme. Most of the participating GP trainees (59%) were satisfied or very satisfied with their training., Conclusion: In general, there is a high level of motivation among study participants to become an independent and self-employed GP, also in rural areas. Despite the fact that not even every second received central training elements like individual feedback and structured initial training, the participants were mostly satisfied with their GP specialty training., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Introduction: Pre- and postgraduate education is meant to be competency-based. Over the last two decades various competency frameworks have been published. An important aspect of competency is professionalism, being discussed widely in the literature while a clear-cut definition is still lacking. The purpose of this study was to translate the Nijmegen Professionalism Scale into the German language, to adapt the scale to the German setting and to examine the psychometric properties, test-retest reliability and feasibility of the culturally adapted instrument designed to assess professionalism in general practice, in addition to the validity of the concept of professionalism and to testify the transfer across linguistic, cultural and societal differences., Method: After translating the Nijmegen Professional Scale into German, we conducted its cultural adaptation, the German Professionalism Scale (Pro-D). Its psychometric properties were assessed using Cronbach's α, descriptive statistics, and test-retest reliability. The validation of the construct was analysed by confirmatory factor analysis. Feasibility was confirmed in interviews with GP trainees and their trainers., Results: A total of 133 trainees completed the Pro-D. The Pro-D showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's α 0.93) and good test-retest reliability (Spearman's rank correlation and Wilcoxon's matched-pairs test) for the different domains. Confirmatory factor analysis was unable to establish construct validity. Change in sensitivity of the instrument was good. Statements of interviews confirmed the feasibility of the new instrument., Conclusions: We found good psychometric properties for the Pro-D. This might indicate transferability of the concept across linguistic, cultural and societal differences although the concept of professionalism was not replicated in a confirmatory factor analysis., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Critical incident reporting and learning systems (CIRS) have been recommended as an instrument to promote patient safety for a long time. However, both their scientific value and their actual impact have been disputed. The nationwide German CIRS for primary care has been in operation since September 2004. Incident reports are available online, and the question is how to make use of this large database to promote patient safety. A descriptive analysis of the content was performed, classifying, in particular, types of error and contributing factors. Its usage is presented for the period from 2004 to 2013 where a total of 483 complete reports have been recorded. Their severity ranges from 35.6 % with no tangible harm to patients to 14.6 % with important harm (or errors contributing to mortality). The majority of them (74.2 %) were process errors, compared to 25.8 % knowledge/skills errors. The main areas involved were treatment/medication (54.2 %) and diagnosis/tests (16.4 %). The results of the analysis of the CIRS cannot be used as an epidemiological data source. And yet they will generate hypotheses for further research in the field of patient safety. Moreover, they will enable practice teams to make themselves familiar with and learn from critical incident analysis. In spite of the specific difficulties in ambulatory care, CIRS should be promoted in this sector to enable learning. Participation in CIRS can be increased by enhanced feedback., (Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

In the German healthcare system, general practitioners (GPs) play an important role with regard to individualised prevention, as they are often the first contact for patients seeking advice. Additionally, there is a great need for preventive counselling from the patient's perspective. However, there is no clear evidence for the effectiveness of the prevention programmes established in Germany. Future prevention models need to be developed according to evidence-based criteria. Narrative-based medicine is seen as a promising complementary approach to strengthen individualised prevention in primary care., (Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

The general practitioner is fundamentally dealing with uncertainty. On the one hand, we want to demonstrate that uncertainty cannot simply be stipulated as a matter of fact. Instead, we will show that this uncertainty is a performative effect of the primary care setting. On the other hand, we want to point out that the general practitioner's ability to bear uncertainty is a genuinely hypermodern way of productively dealing with uncertainty., (Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: As part of the "Cancer Care in the Family Practice" project sponsored by the German Cancer Aid association, this overview for the first time assesses to what extent general practitioners (GPs) are considered in the formulation of German cancer guidelines., Methods: Guidelines relating to cancer care for adult patients were sought in eight national guideline and specialist association portals. Identified guidelines were initially examined to discover whether they referred to health care programmes, which were specifically developed for general practice, whether GPs were involved in their development, and whether GPs were regarded, either directly or at least indirectly, as a target group. Subsequently, all recommendations that were relevant to GPs were assigned to various main categories (communication, treatment measures) as well as subcategories and quantitatively assessed., Results: Of a total of 559 hits, 29 relevant guidelines were identified, of which 21 clearly referred to cancer care programmes in general practice. Eight guidelines reported that GPs were involved in the development of the guideline, and in four GPs were directly addressed as a target group. The majority of relevant recommendations were assigned to the category 'communication' but often included recommendations for the implementation of measures that were not directly applicable to family doctors (such as diagnosis and therapy). Relevant recommendations were found mostly in S3 guidelines., Conclusions: Not a single cancer guideline mentioned family practice health care programmes, and less than half of them involved family doctors in their development process. Most recommendations from cancer guidelines could not be directly implemented by GPs. The guideline's development stage and subject matter (tumour-specific or across all tumour entities) appeared to influence its potential relevance to GPs., (Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

In general, the prevalence of diseases is low in primary care. Therefore, the positive predictive value of diagnostic tests is lower than in hospitals where patients are highly selected. In addition, the patients present with milder forms of disease; and many diseases might hide behind the initial symptom(s). These facts lead to diagnostic uncertainty which is somewhat inherent to general practice. This narrative review discusses different sources of and reasons for uncertainty and strategies to deal with it in the context of the current literature. Fear of uncertainty correlates with higher diagnostic activities. The attitude towards uncertainty correlates with the choice of medical speciality by vocational trainees or medical students. An intolerance of uncertainty, which still increases as medicine is making steady progress, might partly explain the growing shortage of general practitioners. The bio-psycho-social context appears to be important to diagnostic decision-making. The effect of intuition and heuristics are investigated by cognitive psychologists. It is still unclear whether these aspects are prone to bias or useful, which might depend on the context of medical decisions. Good communication is of great importance to share uncertainty with the patients in a transparent way and to alleviate shared decision-making. Dealing with uncertainty should be seen as an important core component of general practice and needs to be investigated in more detail to improve the respective medical decisions., (Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Considering the demographic development models for primary care have to be focused on chronic illness care especially. The so called "Hausarztzentrierte Versorgung" (HzV) in Baden-Wuerttemberg constitutes such a model of an implementation of family doctor-centred health care. For evaluation purposes the perspective of patients is of particular interest. Therefore the aim of this study was to analyse how chronically ill patients assess their medical care. Altogether 53 primary care practices in Baden-Wuerttemberg took part in a patient survey. The quality of chronic illness care from the patients' perspective was assessed by means of the PACIC short form. Furthermore the general satisfaction with care as well as sociodemographic characteristics were determined. For analysis two different groups were regarded: HzV-doctor and HzV-patient with a chronic condition (group 1) and non-HzV-doctor and non-HzV-patient with a chronic condition (group 2). Altogether 2,535 patients were recruited for the survey (response rate 47.8%). Out of these, 836 patients could be assigned to group 1 and 319 patients could be assigned to group 2. Patients in both groups were very satisfied with their care. The patients in group 1 stated more frequently that they received a written treatment plan from their general practitioner and that they were asked about their state of health when leaving the practice. Overall satisfaction was positively associated with organisation of care (β= 0.484), support in difficult situations (β= 0.171) and information on the usefulness of consulting other doctors (β= 0.163) with an explained variation of R(2)=0.459. Irrespective of their group affiliation patients rate the medical care of their chronic condition very positively. Especially the assessment of the quality of care from the perspective of different patient groups (HzV participants and non-HzV participants) could contribute essentially as a feedback for physicians concerning the implementation of the main contents of the HzV for participating physicians., (Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: Pre- and postgraduate education is meant to be competency-based. Over the last two decades various competency frameworks have been published. One competency is professionalism, a definition of which has not yet been developed but is being discussed in the literature. The aim of this qualitative study is an approximation to professionalism among German general practitioners and general practitioner trainees., Methods: A qualitative study was conducted by interviewing seven pairs of GPs and their trainees. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. The analysis was performed according to Mayring supported by the software Atlas.ti., Results: Four categories of professionalism emerged: responsibility towards patients, responsibility towards other professionals, responsibility towards the society and responsibility towards oneself. Professionalism was perceived as important for general practice in Germany. In addition, barriers of professional behaviour have been identified., Conclusion: The perception of professionalism among German GPs and GP trainees is in accordance with the frameworks of professionalism found in the literature. These results underline the need for conceptualising professionalism among general practice trainees in Germany., (Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: Implementation of guidelines in general practice is difficult. Do general practitioners (GPs) reject evidence-based medicine (EBM) in general? Which attitudes do GPs have towards EBM and guidelines, and which value do they attach to EBM in daily routine?, Methods: We conducted a qualitative study using five focus groups with 53 GPs. The study was set in the German federal states of Bavaria, Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse and Hamburg. Participants were selected according to area (rural/urban), region (North/South, East/West) and grade of professionalisation. Focus groups were digitally recorded and fully transcribed. Data were analysed in a multidisciplinary team using qualitative content analysis., Results: Most participants felt positive towards EBM. Lack of feasibility was explicitly mentioned: the participants distinguished between "practised" and "true" EBM. Guidelines are often considered unsuitable for general practice. The GPs felt confident that their treatment of patients was evidence-based., Conclusions: Compared to older studies, German GPs have an increasingly favourable opinion about EBM. In order to enhance the practical application of EBM and guidelines the attitudes of GPs need to be considered., (Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)