Systematic reviews (SR) are an important source for evidence-informed decision-making in the context of health-related questions. Examples of their use include acting as the evidence base for guidelines and health information products, for planning clinical studies, and informing health policy decisions. Accordingly, it is crucial that SR provide trustworthy, reliable summaries of the available evidence. This is why they need to be of high quality in terms of both methods and content. SR suffering from quality deficiencies carry the risk of delivering biased or erroneous and therefore untrustworthy results. For years, the international research literature has highlighted problems with the quantity and quality of SR that undermine their “usefulness”, including “mass production” of SR and evidence that a large proportion of all SR is untrustworthy. This poses a considerable challenge to users searching for and selecting suitable SR. In consequence, SR are commonly used uncritically, and health-relevant decisions are made on the basis of biased or erroneous results. This prompts an important question to everyone involved in the production of SR: Why are so many flawed SR being produced and published? The aim of this paper is to point out the importance of SR and the requirements for producing high-quality SR to inform evidence-informed healthcare, to describe the key problems with their quantity and quality, to specify possible reasons for these problems, and to outline approaches to solutions. There is an urgent need for action to make SR “useful” (again).
{"title":"Wir brauchen weniger, dafür bessere systematische Reviews! Ein Aufruf zum Handeln","authors":"Cordula Braun , Kathrin Grummich , Ralph Möhler , Corinna Schaefer , Dawid Pieper","doi":"10.1016/j.zefq.2025.10.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.zefq.2025.10.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Systematic reviews (SR) are an important source for evidence-informed decision-making in the context of health-related questions. Examples of their use include acting as the evidence base for guidelines and health information products, for planning clinical studies, and informing health policy decisions. Accordingly, it is crucial that SR provide trustworthy, reliable summaries of the available evidence. This is why they need to be of high quality in terms of both methods and content. SR suffering from quality deficiencies carry the risk of delivering biased or erroneous and therefore untrustworthy results. For years, the international research literature has highlighted problems with the quantity and quality of SR that undermine their “usefulness”, including “mass production” of SR and evidence that a large proportion of all SR is untrustworthy. This poses a considerable challenge to users searching for and selecting suitable SR. In consequence, SR are commonly used uncritically, and health-relevant decisions are made on the basis of biased or erroneous results. This prompts an important question to everyone involved in the production of SR: Why are so many flawed SR being produced and published? The aim of this paper is to point out the importance of SR and the requirements for producing high-quality SR to inform evidence-informed healthcare, to describe the key problems with their quantity and quality, to specify possible reasons for these problems, and to outline approaches to solutions. There is an urgent need for action to make SR “useful” (again).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46628,"journal":{"name":"Zeitschrift fur Evidenz Fortbildung und Qualitaet im Gesundheitswesen","volume":"198 ","pages":"Pages 1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145558054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-10-17DOI: 10.1016/j.zefq.2025.09.004
Mercedes Rutsch, Ruth Deck
Background
People who are affected by long COVID (LC) and have limitations in their ability to work can apply for a multi-professional rehabilitation programme. This qualitative study analysed the development of occupational participation, health limitations at work and factors supporting occupational participation in LC rehabilitants.
Methods
Guided telephone interviews were conducted with LC rehabilitants aged 18–65 years, who were undergoing pneumological rehabilitation, at three time points (shortly after the end of rehabilitation, and six and twelve months after rehabilitation). Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis according to Mayring.
Results
Between 04/2021 and 07/2022, a total of 30 interviews were conducted with 11 rehabilitants (N = 7 women; average age: 50 years). Three health-related stress dimensions were identified: cognitive (e. g., word-finding difficulties, concentration problems), psychosocial (e. g., anxiety, worry), and physical (e. g., physical exhaustion, shortness of breath) limitations. The reintegration prepared by social services, the general conditions at the workplace (e. g., flexible working hours, empathy in the workplace) and personality traits, such as acceptance of personal limitations, were described as conducive to occupational participation. Respondents used compensatory techniques (e. g., mnemonics) and pacing to cope with the demands of work despite existing limitations.
Conclusion
The results of the study show that “returning to work” is not the same as “regaining the ability to work”. In both rehabilitation and aftercare, the restoration of physical, psychosocial, and cognitive work ability should play an essential role in counteracting the manifestation of participation restrictions.
{"title":"Berufsbezogene Teilhabeeinschränkungen von Rehabilitand*innen mit Long COVID im zeitlichen Verlauf – Befunde einer qualitativen Untersuchung","authors":"Mercedes Rutsch, Ruth Deck","doi":"10.1016/j.zefq.2025.09.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.zefq.2025.09.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>People who are affected by long COVID (LC) and have limitations in their ability to work can apply for a multi-professional rehabilitation programme. This qualitative study analysed the development of occupational participation, health limitations at work and factors supporting occupational participation in LC rehabilitants.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Guided telephone interviews were conducted with LC rehabilitants aged 18–65 years, who were undergoing pneumological rehabilitation, at three time points (shortly after the end of rehabilitation, and six and twelve months after rehabilitation). Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis according to Mayring.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Between 04/2021 and 07/2022, a total of 30 interviews were conducted with 11 rehabilitants (N = 7 women; average age: 50 years). Three health-related stress dimensions were identified: cognitive (e. g., word-finding difficulties, concentration problems), psychosocial (e. g., anxiety, worry), and physical (e. g., physical exhaustion, shortness of breath) limitations. The reintegration prepared by social services, the general conditions at the workplace (e. g., flexible working hours, empathy in the workplace) and personality traits, such as acceptance of personal limitations, were described as conducive to occupational participation. Respondents used compensatory techniques (e. g., mnemonics) and pacing to cope with the demands of work despite existing limitations.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The results of the study show that “returning to work” is not the same as “regaining the ability to work”. In both rehabilitation and aftercare, the restoration of physical, psychosocial, and cognitive work ability should play an essential role in counteracting the manifestation of participation restrictions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46628,"journal":{"name":"Zeitschrift fur Evidenz Fortbildung und Qualitaet im Gesundheitswesen","volume":"198 ","pages":"Pages 62-71"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145313761","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-11-12DOI: 10.1016/j.zefq.2025.10.003
Edda Currle, Sonja Haug, Karsten Weber
Background and objectives
Digital tools for medical history-taking, such as chatbots, are increasingly being developed and evaluated but have not yet been implemented across the board in medical practices in Germany. The aim of this study was to survey the acceptance of AI-supported tools for medical history-taking among the German population, thereby allowing conclusions to be drawn about the use of these tools and their suitability as part of digitalization strategies in medical practices.
Method
The study is based on an online survey among the German population (fieldwork November 18 to 24, 2024, n = 1,000). Based on the ‘Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology’ (UTAUT), three central hypotheses on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the medical history-taking process were generated and tested using linear regression models.
Results
In the two scenarios examined — patients using a chatbot at home and at the doctor’s office — there was a high level of acceptance for the use of AI-supported systems. The expected relationships between Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy and expected Social Influence with the behavioral intention to use a chatbot either in the doctor’s office or before visiting the doctor’s office have been confirmed. However, influential factors such as age, gender, or experience with technology do not show the expected correlations.
Discussion and conclusion
Practicability is crucial for a favorable attitude towards AI applications. There were no apparent gender differences. When implementing chatbots in the medical history-taking process, the aspects of practicability, data protection, and data security should play a key role. Given that a large number of the elderly in Germany still have limited experience with digital technologies, usability is highly relevant for both this population group and for people with disabilities.
{"title":"Akzeptanz des Einsatzes von Künstlicher Intelligenz im Anamneseprozess: Ergebnisse einer Bevölkerungsbefragung in Deutschland","authors":"Edda Currle, Sonja Haug, Karsten Weber","doi":"10.1016/j.zefq.2025.10.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.zefq.2025.10.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background and objectives</h3><div>Digital tools for medical history-taking, such as chatbots, are increasingly being developed and evaluated but have not yet been implemented across the board in medical practices in Germany. The aim of this study was to survey the acceptance of AI-supported tools for medical history-taking among the German population, thereby allowing conclusions to be drawn about the use of these tools and their suitability as part of digitalization strategies in medical practices.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>The study is based on an online survey among the German population (fieldwork November 18 to 24, 2024, n = 1,000). Based on the ‘Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology’ (UTAUT), three central hypotheses on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the medical history-taking process were generated and tested using linear regression models.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In the two scenarios examined — patients using a chatbot at home and at the doctor’s office — there was a high level of acceptance for the use of AI-supported systems. The expected relationships between Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy and expected Social Influence with the behavioral intention to use a chatbot either in the doctor’s office or before visiting the doctor’s office have been confirmed. However, influential factors such as age, gender, or experience with technology do not show the expected correlations.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion and conclusion</h3><div>Practicability is crucial for a favorable attitude towards AI applications. There were no apparent gender differences. When implementing chatbots in the medical history-taking process, the aspects of practicability, data protection, and data security should play a key role. Given that a large number of the elderly in Germany still have limited experience with digital technologies, usability is highly relevant for both this population group and for people with disabilities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46628,"journal":{"name":"Zeitschrift fur Evidenz Fortbildung und Qualitaet im Gesundheitswesen","volume":"198 ","pages":"Pages 9-17"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145514602","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-01Epub Date: 2025-08-26DOI: 10.1016/j.zefq.2025.07.001
Hannah Pinnekamp , Julian Bauer , Jennifer Luboeinski , Andrea Ellermeyer , Susanne Krotsetis , Jenny Heymann , Louise Koppe , Laura Todisco , Inke Zastrow , Andreas Kocks , Uli Fischer
Introduction
Healthcare in Germany faces major challenges that require greater involvement of academically qualified nursing professionals. Despite positive trends in the academization of the nursing profession, challenges remain that require further systematic research.
Methods
A survey was used to collect current quantitative data on the number and proportion of nursing professionals with a university degree at German university medical centers and university hospitals and to compare these data with the results from 2018. In addition, we investigated the proportion of these professionals with positions in direct patient care, existing institutes for nursing science, job descriptions, and incentive measures for academic nursing professionals.
Results
The analysis comprises data from 14 university medical centers and university hospitals that provided complete data sets for 2024 and 2018. The proportion of nursing professionals with a university degree increased from 2.92 % in 2018 to 3.91 % in 2024. In direct patient care, the proportion rose from 2.14 % to 3.18 %. The proportion of nursing professionals with a university degree in direct patient care in relation to the total number of employees in nursing services in direct patient care was 3.50 % in 2024. There was considerable heterogeneity in terms of job descriptions for nursing professionals with a university degree, pay-scale grouping, and non-monetary incentives. Of the clinics included, four had an Institute of Nursing Science, three had a chair in Nursing Science, and two had a primary qualifying academic degree program in nursing.
Discussion
The survey results show progress towards the integration of academically qualified nursing professionals in German university hospitals, but challenges remain. At 3.18 %, the proportion of academically qualified nursing professionals in direct patient care remains well below the recommended 20 %. The study emphasizes the importance of clear job descriptions, collective pay-scale groupings, and incentives to better integrate the roles of these professionals in the healthcare system and make full use of their abilities.
{"title":"Einbindung von Pflegefachpersonen mit Hochschulabschlüssen an deutschen Universitätskliniken: Vergleich der Befragungsergebnisse 2018 und 2024","authors":"Hannah Pinnekamp , Julian Bauer , Jennifer Luboeinski , Andrea Ellermeyer , Susanne Krotsetis , Jenny Heymann , Louise Koppe , Laura Todisco , Inke Zastrow , Andreas Kocks , Uli Fischer","doi":"10.1016/j.zefq.2025.07.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.zefq.2025.07.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Healthcare in Germany faces major challenges that require greater involvement of academically qualified nursing professionals. Despite positive trends in the academization of the nursing profession, challenges remain that require further systematic research.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A survey was used to collect current quantitative data on the number and proportion of nursing professionals with a university degree at German university medical centers and university hospitals and to compare these data with the results from 2018. In addition, we investigated the proportion of these professionals with positions in direct patient care, existing institutes for nursing science, job descriptions, and incentive measures for academic nursing professionals.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The analysis comprises data from 14 university medical centers and university hospitals that provided complete data sets for 2024 and 2018. The proportion of nursing professionals with a university degree increased from 2.92 % in 2018 to 3.91 % in 2024. In direct patient care, the proportion rose from 2.14 % to 3.18 %. The proportion of nursing professionals with a university degree in direct patient care in relation to the total number of employees in nursing services in direct patient care was 3.50 % in 2024. There was considerable heterogeneity in terms of job descriptions for nursing professionals with a university degree, pay-scale grouping, and non-monetary incentives. Of the clinics included, four had an Institute of Nursing Science, three had a chair in Nursing Science, and two had a primary qualifying academic degree program in nursing.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>The survey results show progress towards the integration of academically qualified nursing professionals in German university hospitals, but challenges remain. At 3.18 %, the proportion of academically qualified nursing professionals in direct patient care remains well below the recommended 20 %. The study emphasizes the importance of clear job descriptions, collective pay-scale groupings, and incentives to better integrate the roles of these professionals in the healthcare system and make full use of their abilities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46628,"journal":{"name":"Zeitschrift fur Evidenz Fortbildung und Qualitaet im Gesundheitswesen","volume":"197 ","pages":"Pages 62-72"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144973768","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Physical and psychological problems related to sexual health are a highly relevant health topic. Although general practitioners (GPs) are usually the first point of contact for patients, studies show that they rarely talk about sexual health. This study explored whether German GPs consider sexual health an important health issue and feel a responsibilty to address patient concerns in this regard, how often they discuss sexual health topics with their patients, and what hampers or facilitates conversations about sexual health.
Methods
A quantitative, cross-sectional online survey was conducted among German GPs (11/2021–06/2022). Data were analyzed in SPSS using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression.
Results
Most of the 249 participating GPs consider sexual health an important topic (68.8 %, n = 159) and feel responsible for their patients’ sexual health (74.5 %, n = 176). Nearly one-half of respondents (48.1 %, n = 112) report that they address sexual issues less often than medically indicated. The main barriers include lack of time, language barriers, and the presence of relatives; the patients’ own initiative and a good and/or long-term doctor-patient relationship have the effect of facilitating conversation. In-depth analysis revealed that the perception of hampering and supportive factors as well as the frequency with which sexual health topics are addressed is influenced by the following GP characteristics: higher age group, male gender, longer duration of practice, non-heterosexual orientation, specialization, and positive experiences with talking about this sensitive topic.
Discussion
Although sexual health is an important issue in primary care, it is discussed less often than medically indicated.
Conclusion
Structured communication and a high competence regarding sexual health issues can contribute to improving patient care and should therefore be more strongly represented in medical school curricula and GP training courses.
{"title":"Talking about sexual health in primary care: Results of a cross-sectional study among general practitioners in Germany","authors":"Josephine Solbach, Christine Kersting, Achim Mortsiefer","doi":"10.1016/j.zefq.2025.06.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.zefq.2025.06.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Physical and psychological problems related to sexual health are a highly relevant health topic. Although general practitioners (GPs) are usually the first point of contact for patients, studies show that they rarely talk about sexual health. This study explored whether German GPs consider sexual health an important health issue and feel a responsibilty to address patient concerns in this regard, how often they discuss sexual health topics with their patients, and what hampers or facilitates conversations about sexual health.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A quantitative, cross-sectional online survey was conducted among German GPs (11/2021–06/2022). Data were analyzed in SPSS using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Most of the 249 participating GPs consider sexual health an important topic (68.8 %, n = 159) and feel responsible for their patients’ sexual health (74.5 %, n = 176). Nearly one-half of respondents (48.1 %, n = 112) report that they address sexual issues less often than medically indicated. The main barriers include lack of time, language barriers, and the presence of relatives; the patients’ own initiative and a good and/or long-term doctor-patient relationship have the effect of facilitating conversation. In-depth analysis revealed that the perception of hampering and supportive factors as well as the frequency with which sexual health topics are addressed is influenced by the following GP characteristics: higher age group, male gender, longer duration of practice, non-heterosexual orientation, specialization, and positive experiences with talking about this sensitive topic.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>Although sexual health is an important issue in primary care, it is discussed less often than medically indicated.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Structured communication and a high competence regarding sexual health issues can contribute to improving patient care and should therefore be more strongly represented in medical school curricula and GP training courses.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46628,"journal":{"name":"Zeitschrift fur Evidenz Fortbildung und Qualitaet im Gesundheitswesen","volume":"197 ","pages":"Pages 47-54"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144643829","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-01Epub Date: 2025-08-07DOI: 10.1016/j.zefq.2025.06.005
Fabian Walter , Andreas W. Gold , Rosa Jahn , Stefan Noest , Eva Grünberger , Susanne Pruskil , Kayvan Bozorgmehr , Regina Poß-Doering
<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Many refugees initially receive medical care in the medical outpatient clinics of initial reception centers as part of the statutory health service restrictions in Germany. The care on offer varies greatly depending on the center and the resources available. Reliable information on the health status or health needs of refugees in these contexts remains scarce. Against this backdrop, an electronic medical records (EMR) software (Refugee Care Manager [Ref.Care]) was developed at Heidelberg University Hospital with funding from the Federal Ministry of Health. The development began in 2016, and the software has since been implemented in over 40 reception facilities in three federal states. On the one hand, the software makes it possible to document medical treatments digitally in a standardized form and, on the other hand, to process the treatment data anonymously and based on indicators. Extensive research into the effects of EMRs has already been carried out. Health care provided for refugees in reception centers has rarely been included in this research. This study therefore examines 1) the contributions that EMRs can make to patient care from the perspective of the software users and 2) the potential for improvement with regard to both software and implementation strategy.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In 2018, semi-structured expert interviews were conducted with 30 service providers from outpatient clinics in reception facilities in Germany. The interview guide focused on the topics of satisfaction, acceptance, and usability of the newly introduced electronic medical records. The interviews were digitally recorded, pseudonymized, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed based on content-structuring content analysis according to Kuckartz. MAXQDA 20 was used to support the analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The introduction of the electronic medical records software was facilitated by personal contact with the practice teams during and after the training courses. The materials provided were rarely used afterwards. In everyday care provision, the possibility to adapt the software to the treatment context was seen as particularly positive. Technical difficulties and missing features, such as lack of interoperability with other software products, sometimes made it difficult to apply Ref.Care. From the respondents’ point of view, the software makes an important contribution to improving the quality of care and increasing efficiency in terms of documentation. The option to further use the data for research purposes was viewed positively as well, and adaptability to specific professional groups and user needs was identified as a potential area of improvement.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The early evaluation of the introduction of the software Ref.Care shows that the advantages and disadvantages of electronic medical records in the setting of care for refugees are very similar to those in routine car
{"title":"Evaluation der Digitalisierung der medizinischen Dokumentation in Sammelunterkünften für Geflüchtete in Deutschland: eine qualitative Studie","authors":"Fabian Walter , Andreas W. Gold , Rosa Jahn , Stefan Noest , Eva Grünberger , Susanne Pruskil , Kayvan Bozorgmehr , Regina Poß-Doering","doi":"10.1016/j.zefq.2025.06.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.zefq.2025.06.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Many refugees initially receive medical care in the medical outpatient clinics of initial reception centers as part of the statutory health service restrictions in Germany. The care on offer varies greatly depending on the center and the resources available. Reliable information on the health status or health needs of refugees in these contexts remains scarce. Against this backdrop, an electronic medical records (EMR) software (Refugee Care Manager [Ref.Care]) was developed at Heidelberg University Hospital with funding from the Federal Ministry of Health. The development began in 2016, and the software has since been implemented in over 40 reception facilities in three federal states. On the one hand, the software makes it possible to document medical treatments digitally in a standardized form and, on the other hand, to process the treatment data anonymously and based on indicators. Extensive research into the effects of EMRs has already been carried out. Health care provided for refugees in reception centers has rarely been included in this research. This study therefore examines 1) the contributions that EMRs can make to patient care from the perspective of the software users and 2) the potential for improvement with regard to both software and implementation strategy.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In 2018, semi-structured expert interviews were conducted with 30 service providers from outpatient clinics in reception facilities in Germany. The interview guide focused on the topics of satisfaction, acceptance, and usability of the newly introduced electronic medical records. The interviews were digitally recorded, pseudonymized, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed based on content-structuring content analysis according to Kuckartz. MAXQDA 20 was used to support the analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The introduction of the electronic medical records software was facilitated by personal contact with the practice teams during and after the training courses. The materials provided were rarely used afterwards. In everyday care provision, the possibility to adapt the software to the treatment context was seen as particularly positive. Technical difficulties and missing features, such as lack of interoperability with other software products, sometimes made it difficult to apply Ref.Care. From the respondents’ point of view, the software makes an important contribution to improving the quality of care and increasing efficiency in terms of documentation. The option to further use the data for research purposes was viewed positively as well, and adaptability to specific professional groups and user needs was identified as a potential area of improvement.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The early evaluation of the introduction of the software Ref.Care shows that the advantages and disadvantages of electronic medical records in the setting of care for refugees are very similar to those in routine car","PeriodicalId":46628,"journal":{"name":"Zeitschrift fur Evidenz Fortbildung und Qualitaet im Gesundheitswesen","volume":"197 ","pages":"Pages 30-37"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144805052","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-01Epub Date: 2025-07-05DOI: 10.1016/j.zefq.2025.05.006
Dorothee Bauernschmidt , Martin N. Dichter , Annegret Horbach , Gabriele Meyer , Martin Müller , Anne Christin Rahn , Ralph Möhler
Background
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic had a major impact on nursing and healthcare as well as on research. The aim of this study was to analyse the characteristics of nursing- and SARS-CoV-2-related research in Germany.
Methods
A scoping review was conducted. We systematically searched (06/2023) Medline, CINAHL, the German Register of Clinical Trials, abstract books of conferences and conducted a manual literature search. We included empirical studies addressing aspects of nursing and the pandemic and involving German researchers. Study selection and data extraction were conducted independently by two reviewers. Results were analysed descriptively.
Results
We included 131 publications (85 quantitative, 27 qualitative, 6 mixed-/multi-methods studies, 12 systematic reviews, 1 discussion paper); 49 % of the studies were published in 2021. First authors were mostly from medicine, psychology and nursing science, last authors from medicine. Most studies were explorative. Most of the quantitative studies used observational designs, only four were experimental. Nurses and other healthcare professionals were the most common target group; people with care needs or relatives were rarely addressed. The most common topics included health, perceived burden, working conditions, and characteristics of care during the pandemic. A quarter of the studies were not externally funded, 32 % did not provide information on funding. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (21 %) was the most common funding body.
Conclusion
Pandemic-related nursing research was published to a limited extent by nursing scientists; clinical nursing research was particularly underrepresented. Dependable funding and the development of a research infrastructure for nursing research are necessary to ensure evidence-based nursing in times of crisis and to generate findings that are relevant to clinical practice and health policy decision-makers.
{"title":"Pflegeforschung in der SARS-CoV-2-Pandemie in Deutschland: ein Scoping-Review","authors":"Dorothee Bauernschmidt , Martin N. Dichter , Annegret Horbach , Gabriele Meyer , Martin Müller , Anne Christin Rahn , Ralph Möhler","doi":"10.1016/j.zefq.2025.05.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.zefq.2025.05.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic had a major impact on nursing and healthcare as well as on research. The aim of this study was to analyse the characteristics of nursing- and SARS-CoV-2-related research in Germany.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A scoping review was conducted. We systematically searched (06/2023) Medline, CINAHL, the German Register of Clinical Trials, abstract books of conferences and conducted a manual literature search. We included empirical studies addressing aspects of nursing and the pandemic and involving German researchers. Study selection and data extraction were conducted independently by two reviewers. Results were analysed descriptively.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We included 131 publications (85 quantitative, 27 qualitative, 6 mixed-/multi-methods studies, 12 systematic reviews, 1 discussion paper); 49 % of the studies were published in 2021. First authors were mostly from medicine, psychology and nursing science, last authors from medicine. Most studies were explorative. Most of the quantitative studies used observational designs, only four were experimental. Nurses and other healthcare professionals were the most common target group; people with care needs or relatives were rarely addressed. The most common topics included health, perceived burden, working conditions, and characteristics of care during the pandemic. A quarter of the studies were not externally funded, 32 % did not provide information on funding. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (21 %) was the most common funding body.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Pandemic-related nursing research was published to a limited extent by nursing scientists; clinical nursing research was particularly underrepresented. Dependable funding and the development of a research infrastructure for nursing research are necessary to ensure evidence-based nursing in times of crisis and to generate findings that are relevant to clinical practice and health policy decision-makers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46628,"journal":{"name":"Zeitschrift fur Evidenz Fortbildung und Qualitaet im Gesundheitswesen","volume":"197 ","pages":"Pages 79-88"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144567975","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-01Epub Date: 2025-07-01DOI: 10.1016/j.zefq.2025.05.007
Kristina Vogel , Claudia Hellmers , Nicola H. Bauer
Background
Professional self-confidence is a key competency for midwives, as it influences practical skills. The COMICE study (Confidence Of Midwifery students on selected midwifery Competencies at completion of Education) uses a questionnaire to examine the self-confidence of over 2,000 midwifery students in Sweden, India and seven African countries, identifying challenges and factors that influence self-confidence.
Objective
For the study ’The impact of augmented reality-based training on the professional self-confidence of midwifery students in emergency situations’, the widely used but unvalidated questionnaire was translated into German and culturally adapted.
Methods
The translation of the COMICE questionnaire from English into German followed the ‘Guidelines for the process of cross-cultural adaptation of self-report measures’ by Beaton et al. (2000). The six translation stages were partially modified. Independent forward and backward translations were conducted, followed by two pre-tests. The first pre-test assessed comprehensibility and relevance, while the second, using the think-aloud method, evaluated linguistic clarity.
Results
The first pre-test (n = 31) indicated an average completion time of 30 minutes and provided 13 content-related comments, primarily concerning questionnaire length and country-specific topics. Based on these findings, redundant items were excluded, and the questionnaire was reduced to three core questions. The second pre-test (n = 3) did not reveal any remaining comprehension difficulties. A validation was not performed.
Conclusions
The multi-stage translation and adaptation process presented challenges in terms of technical terminology and cultural differences. Translation quality was ensured by involving both experts and native speakers. The cross-cultural adaptation ensured comprehensibility for midwifery students in Germany and provided the basis for international comparisons.
{"title":"Kultursensitive Übersetzung des Instruments „Confidence Of Midwifery students on selected midwifery Competencies at completion of Education“ (COMICE) zur Selbsteinschätzung von Kompetenzen und Selbstvertrauen bei Hebammenstudierenden in Deutschland","authors":"Kristina Vogel , Claudia Hellmers , Nicola H. Bauer","doi":"10.1016/j.zefq.2025.05.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.zefq.2025.05.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Professional self-confidence is a key competency for midwives, as it influences practical skills. The COMICE study (Confidence Of Midwifery students on selected midwifery Competencies at completion of Education) uses a questionnaire to examine the self-confidence of over 2,000 midwifery students in Sweden, India and seven African countries, identifying challenges and factors that influence self-confidence.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>For the study ’The impact of augmented reality-based training on the professional self-confidence of midwifery students in emergency situations’, the widely used but unvalidated questionnaire was translated into German and culturally adapted.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The translation of the COMICE questionnaire from English into German followed the ‘Guidelines for the process of cross-cultural adaptation of self-report measures’ by Beaton et al. (2000). The six translation stages were partially modified. Independent forward and backward translations were conducted, followed by two pre-tests. The first pre-test assessed comprehensibility and relevance, while the second, using the think-aloud method, evaluated linguistic clarity.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The first pre-test (n = 31) indicated an average completion time of 30 minutes and provided 13 content-related comments, primarily concerning questionnaire length and country-specific topics. Based on these findings, redundant items were excluded, and the questionnaire was reduced to three core questions. The second pre-test (n = 3) did not reveal any remaining comprehension difficulties. A validation was not performed.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The multi-stage translation and adaptation process presented challenges in terms of technical terminology and cultural differences. Translation quality was ensured by involving both experts and native speakers. The cross-cultural adaptation ensured comprehensibility for midwifery students in Germany and provided the basis for international comparisons.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46628,"journal":{"name":"Zeitschrift fur Evidenz Fortbildung und Qualitaet im Gesundheitswesen","volume":"197 ","pages":"Pages 1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144545456","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-01Epub Date: 2025-08-21DOI: 10.1016/j.zefq.2025.06.004
Andreas Christian Dreher , Jonathan Ko , Christine Becker , Christian Förster , Tanja Jähnig , Martina Bischoff , Sandra Stengel , Simon Schwill
Background
Residents in Family Medicine (FM) decide on their FM training pathway directly at the start of their career (“direct entry”), in the course of their further training (“advanced entry”), or switch to FM from another medical specialty (“lateral entry”). The aim of this study is to characterize the participants of the Competence Center for Postgraduate Medical Training in Baden-Württemberg (Kompetenzzentrum Weiterbildung Baden-Württemberg, KWBW) in target groups (target audience).
Methods
An ongoing cohort study has been conducted at the KWBW since 2016. All FM trainees receive a self-designed questionnaire with 54 items on socio-demographic data and previous professional experience when they enter the program. Between 11/2020 and 12/2021, an additional questionnaire containing 21 items on motivation for FM training was used. The data was analyzed descriptively and semi-qualitatively.
Results
Of 929 new trainees, n = 883 took part in the survey (response rate 95.2 %). Of these, 50.9 % entered the program at an advanced stage of their training (AEs, n = 450), 24.5 % were direct entrants (DEs, n = 216), and 23.8 % were lateral entrants (LEs, n = 210). AEs more likely had children than DEs (p < 0.001), and they were more frequently female than DEs or LEs (p = 0.02). The motivators for training in FM included: the continuity of FM care for patients, the compatibility of career and care work, the broad mix of patients, and difficult working conditions in hospitals.
Discussion and conclusions
There were life-stage-specific differences between the three subgroups entering the KWBW. The motivation for FM Spezilisation also differs between DEs, AEs and LEs. A strict separation of learners into DEs, AEs and LEs contradicts competence- and motivation-enhancing peer learning.
The differentiation of FM trainees into AEs, DEs and LEs helps understand different life circumstances and learning needs and fosters target group-specific support. Internal differentiation in the program enables target group-specific and learner-centered offers and thus increases the attractiveness of a Competence Center for Postgraduate Medical Training for all FM trainees.
背景:家庭医学(FM)的住院医生在他们的职业生涯开始时直接决定他们的FM培训路径(“直接进入”),在他们的进一步培训过程中(“高级进入”),或者从其他医学专业切换到FM(“横向进入”)。本研究的目的是确定巴登-符腾堡州研究生医学培训能力中心(Kompetenzzentrum Weiterbildung baden -符腾堡州,KWBW)目标群体(目标受众)的参与者特征。方法:自2016年以来,在KWBW进行了一项正在进行的队列研究。所有FM学员在进入项目时都会收到一份自行设计的问卷,其中包含54项社会人口统计数据和以前的专业经验。在2020年11月至2021年12月期间,使用了一份额外的问卷,其中包含21个关于FM培训动机的问题。对数据进行了描述性和半定性分析。结果:929名新学员中,n = 883人参加了调查,回复率为95.2% %。其中,50.9 %进入项目处于高级阶段的培训(AEs, n = 450),24.5 %直接进入者(DEs, n = 216)和23.8 %是横向进入者(莱斯,n = 210)。讨论和结论:进入KWBW的三个亚组之间存在生命阶段特异性差异。FM细化的动机在DEs、ae和le之间也有所不同。将学习者严格划分为DEs, ae和LEs与能力和动机增强的同伴学习相矛盾。将FM学员区分为ae、de和le,有助于了解不同的生活环境和学习需求,并促进针对目标群体的支持。该方案的内部差异化使得提供针对特定目标群体和以学习者为中心的服务,从而增加了研究生医学培训能力中心对所有FM学员的吸引力。
{"title":"Analyse der Zielgruppen in der Weiterbildung Allgemeinmedizin: Ergebnisse einer Kohortenstudie im Kompetenzzentrum Weiterbildung Baden-Württemberg (KWBW)","authors":"Andreas Christian Dreher , Jonathan Ko , Christine Becker , Christian Förster , Tanja Jähnig , Martina Bischoff , Sandra Stengel , Simon Schwill","doi":"10.1016/j.zefq.2025.06.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.zefq.2025.06.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Residents in Family Medicine (FM) decide on their FM training pathway directly at the start of their career (“direct entry”), in the course of their further training (“advanced entry”), or switch to FM from another medical specialty (“lateral entry”). The aim of this study is to characterize the participants of the Competence Center for Postgraduate Medical Training in Baden-Württemberg (Kompetenzzentrum Weiterbildung Baden-Württemberg, KWBW) in target groups (target audience).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>An ongoing cohort study has been conducted at the KWBW since 2016. All FM trainees receive a self-designed questionnaire with 54 items on socio-demographic data and previous professional experience when they enter the program. Between 11/2020 and 12/2021, an additional questionnaire containing 21 items on motivation for FM training was used. The data was analyzed descriptively and semi-qualitatively.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Of 929 new trainees, n = 883 took part in the survey (response rate 95.2 %). Of these, 50.9 % entered the program at an advanced stage of their training (AEs, n = 450), 24.5 % were direct entrants (DEs, n = 216), and 23.8 % were lateral entrants (LEs, n = 210). AEs more likely had children than DEs (<em>p</em> < 0.001), and they were more frequently female than DEs or LEs (<em>p</em> = 0.02). The motivators for training in FM included: the continuity of FM care for patients, the compatibility of career and care work, the broad mix of patients, and difficult working conditions in hospitals.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion and conclusions</h3><div>There were life-stage-specific differences between the three subgroups entering the KWBW. The motivation for FM Spezilisation also differs between DEs, AEs and LEs. A strict separation of learners into DEs, AEs and LEs contradicts competence- and motivation-enhancing peer learning.</div><div>The differentiation of FM trainees into AEs, DEs and LEs helps understand different life circumstances and learning needs and fosters target group-specific support. Internal differentiation in the program enables target group-specific and learner-centered offers and thus increases the attractiveness of a Competence Center for Postgraduate Medical Training for all FM trainees.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46628,"journal":{"name":"Zeitschrift fur Evidenz Fortbildung und Qualitaet im Gesundheitswesen","volume":"197 ","pages":"Pages 55-61"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144973774","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-01Epub Date: 2025-07-14DOI: 10.1016/j.zefq.2025.06.003
Christopher Johannes Preetz, Michaela Hesse, Martin Mücke, Gülay Ateş
Background
The supply of pharmaceuticals is undergoing structural change due to internet mail orders, a shortage of skilled workers, and the decreasing density of community pharmacies. Since January 1, 2024, Germany also has an electronic prescription procedure, the e-prescription. This study aims to answer the question how digitalization has changed access to pharmaceuticals.
Methods
Semi-structured expert interviews were conducted between September 2023 and March 2024. Relevant experts were identified and surveyed about their experience with the influence of digitalization that has so far been observed, about its practicality, and their expectations and outlook regarding the consequences for the supply of medicines. Therefore, only experts from self-governing bodies, the Gematik GmbH, payers, and patient representatives were selected. The interviews were recorded and transcribed. The transcripts were analyzed using MAXQDA.
Results
A total of 9 interviews were conducted. Regarding the effects of digitalization on patient care provided by community and mail order pharmacies, the experts overall regarded mail order pharmacies as high-performance companies that comply with the safety principles required in the pharmaceutical trade. All experts could see the mail order trade’s impact on the density of community pharmacies. The shortage of skilled workers was confirmed by all experts, and digitalization can help mitigate this problem. However, an excessive expansion of mail order companies can disadvantage patients. Concerning e-prescriptions, the expert interviews revealed that e-prescriptions and the telematics infrastructure (TI) are still experiencing difficulties. Despite the costs, the experts surveyed believe that improvements in patient care and patient safety will enhance patient rights.
Discussion
Digitization has a beneficial effect by increasing access to pharmaceutical care. People can access medicines more easily through mail orders and e-prescriptions depending on how they are dispensed. However, some groups of people do not benefit from the new advantages, resulting in the need to further reduce this imbalance in the future. The preservation of community pharmacies for the purpose of individual advice and emergency pharmacy services is another challenge that we have to face as a result of digitalization.
Conclusion
The e-prescription still has its shortcomings and is currently testing the patience of doctors, pharmacists, and prescription recipients. If stable, it will improve both patient care and patient safety. Future studies will need to demonstrate that the access-to-medicines gap can be filled and technical difficulties further reduced.
{"title":"Chancen und Herausforderungen der Digitalisierung der Arzneimittelversorgung: eine qualitative Studie mit relevanten ExpertInnen","authors":"Christopher Johannes Preetz, Michaela Hesse, Martin Mücke, Gülay Ateş","doi":"10.1016/j.zefq.2025.06.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.zefq.2025.06.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The supply of pharmaceuticals is undergoing structural change due to internet mail orders, a shortage of skilled workers, and the decreasing density of community pharmacies. Since January 1, 2024, Germany also has an electronic prescription procedure, the e-prescription. This study aims to answer the question how digitalization has changed access to pharmaceuticals.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Semi-structured expert interviews were conducted between September 2023 and March 2024. Relevant experts were identified and surveyed about their experience with the influence of digitalization that has so far been observed, about its practicality, and their expectations and outlook regarding the consequences for the supply of medicines. Therefore, only experts from self-governing bodies, the Gematik GmbH, payers, and patient representatives were selected. The interviews were recorded and transcribed. The transcripts were analyzed using MAXQDA.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 9 interviews were conducted. Regarding the effects of digitalization on patient care provided by community and mail order pharmacies, the experts overall regarded mail order pharmacies as high-performance companies that comply with the safety principles required in the pharmaceutical trade. All experts could see the mail order trade’s impact on the density of community pharmacies. The shortage of skilled workers was confirmed by all experts, and digitalization can help mitigate this problem. However, an excessive expansion of mail order companies can disadvantage patients. Concerning e-prescriptions, the expert interviews revealed that e-prescriptions and the telematics infrastructure (TI) are still experiencing difficulties. Despite the costs, the experts surveyed believe that improvements in patient care and patient safety will enhance patient rights.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>Digitization has a beneficial effect by increasing access to pharmaceutical care. People can access medicines more easily through mail orders and e-prescriptions depending on how they are dispensed. However, some groups of people do not benefit from the new advantages, resulting in the need to further reduce this imbalance in the future. The preservation of community pharmacies for the purpose of individual advice and emergency pharmacy services is another challenge that we have to face as a result of digitalization.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The e-prescription still has its shortcomings and is currently testing the patience of doctors, pharmacists, and prescription recipients. If stable, it will improve both patient care and patient safety. Future studies will need to demonstrate that the access-to-medicines gap can be filled and technical difficulties further reduced.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46628,"journal":{"name":"Zeitschrift fur Evidenz Fortbildung und Qualitaet im Gesundheitswesen","volume":"197 ","pages":"Pages 10-18"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144643828","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}