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Workplace health promotion (WHP) is often faced with low-participation rates despite high relevance. This limits the potential for creating positive effects for the organization and its staff. Therefore, we investigated the barriers perceived by employees themselves using a representative sample (regarding age, gender and education) in Germany. Data were collected using a quantitative online questionnaire and then analyzed regarding underlying patterns. We found that there are different barrier types, and their importance differs depending on demographic criteria of the participants and the organizations they work for. These results can help organizations to reduce participation barriers to WHP for their staff.

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BACKGROUND: Performance-oriented financing of healthcare aims at demand-based and efficient resource allocation. Often, clinical pathways (CPs) are introduced in this context. PURPOSE: For CP success (a) the degree of utilization of and divergence, (b) cost effects and (c) health professionals' acceptance rate of and satisfaction are relevant. There are gaps in research regarding these issues in general, and more specifically in the German speaking part of Europe. METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Employing a two-stage mixed-methods pilot study, we studied (a) and (b) quantitatively in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and (c) qualitatively in Germany and Austria. RESULTS: Many hospitals already implemented CPs, but the utilization varies. They are expected to yield middle-range savings, but intangible benefits are more important. In general, employees are in favor of CPs, but several conditions need to be met, e.g. adaptability to local requirements. CONCLUSION: Linking the results to the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research showed many criteria are covered, which might lead to the positive evaluations, but also highlights the complexity of the intervention. PRACTICE IMPLICATION: As enhanced acceptance rates are expected to lead to higher benefits and vice versa, management team should safeguard employee participation and perceived benefits in all phases of the CP cycle.

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The virus that causes COVID-19 is rapidly spreading across the globe. Elderly patients with multiple pre-existing conditions are at a higher risk. This case study describes acute inpatient treatment of a COVID-19 patient with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, kidney complications, heart failure, chronic pain, depression, and other comorbidities in an isolation ward without mechanical ventilation.

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INTRODUCTION: Musculoskeletal disorders may cause chronic pain, which is associated with deterioration in physical well-being, functions, and quality of life. There are worldwide shortfalls in the care that is provided to the affected patients. Holistic, interdisciplinary care is rare. Monomodal therapeutic approaches dominate when health-care resources are scarce. In this study, we test the patient-relevant outcomes of multimodal treatment for rheumatic diseases that are associated with pain and check for remuneration. METHODS: We performed a retrospective data analysis of an inpatient multimodal treatment. The target parameter was the patient perspective, which we assessed by means of Patient-Reported Outcomes (PRO). We applied the Visual Analogue Scale (mental and physical condition), the Heidelberg Short Early Risk Assessment Questionnaire, the Pain Disability Index, and the pain grading according to Kohlmann/Raspe (N = 375 patients). We also investigated compensation for inpatient treatments with and without multimodal treatments. Moreover, we compared Diagnosis-Related Group remuneration with and without complex treatment. RESULTS: After implementing a multimodal treatment, improved mental (mood) status was significantly better (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, P < . 001), despite high levels of pain (Kohlmann/Raspe) reported on admission. Apart from the underlying rheumatic disease, 111 patients also reported chronic back pain, which was improved following the treatment (t test, P < . 001). Subjective impairments associated with pain were significantly lower at the end of the hospital stay (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, P < . 001). Compensation for inpatient treatments with multimodal treatments increased noticeably in German hospitals in 2016 to 2019, while remunerations for monomodal treatments show mixed results. CONCLUSION: PROs regarding mood, pain, and perceived impairments improved following the multimodal complex treatment. Compensation of hospitals should take into account additional performance requirements of holistic treatments, whereby the promotion and further studies of PROs are recommended.

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BACKGROUND When treating patients with comorbidities who are infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome as a result of SARS-CoV-2, it is crucial to offer multidisciplinary treatment that takes into consideration all of the health conditions with which they have been diagnosed. In particular, clinicians should not lose sight of the patient experience, which we can be assessed with the help of patient-reported outcomes (PROs). CASE REPORT An 84-year-old man infected with SARS-CoV-2 was already suffering from multiple health conditions, including Type 2 diabetes mellitus. He most likely was receiving cortisone therapy and had chronic pain with spondylosis with radiculopathy, bilateral gonarthrosis following total knee replacement, malaise, and fatigue. The patient received acute inpatient care in a hospital that provides complementary medical therapies. We collected clinical and patient-reported data on quality of life, physical functions, the sensation of pain, psychological well-being, and symptoms while taking into account the degree of chronicity of the conditions, the level of the patient's pain, and his hospitalization in an isolation ward. We stabilized clinical parameters related to the patient's main underlying health conditions (blood glucose and pain levels and oxygen saturation). The PROs we collected demonstrated a significant improvement on discharge. CONCLUSIONS Applying PROs can be helpful in obtaining a more comprehensive picture of a patient with COVID-19, in which "the patient is given a voice," in addition to being assessed by others. The knowledge gained can then be made available to the interdisciplinary treatment team to be incorporated into the treatment plan.

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Patients with fibromyalgia (FM) have often tried many outpatient treatments, and breakthrough pain frequently stops them from performing everyday tasks and participating in society. FM-pain that has become chronic, therefore, affects quality of life. This case study describes the administration of interdisciplinary inpatient pain therapy due to a primary diagnosis of fibromyalgia with integrated complementary medicine. The female patient, who had several concomitant disorders and had been suffering from pain for many years, benefited from the holistic treatment approach in terms of a reduction in pain and an improvement in physical functions and mental health. The ability to have a positive effect on pain symptoms in the longer term is essential. Compliance with the treatments used should also be improved, so that a healthier lifestyle and better pain management can continue after discharge from hospital. These results are supported by other study results and should provide the impetus for major studies to evaluate holistic pain therapies in FM.

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OBJECTIVES: The aim of this article is to study patient satisfaction with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in an in-hospital setting before and after the introduction of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs). METHODS: Patients were interviewed regarding a general evaluation of their hospital stay, the psychological talking therapy, the nutrition therapy, and the overall success of the treatment. RESULTS: The medical treatment was evaluated by 1158 patients. A very good success was reported by 347, a good by 609, a moderate by 181, and none by 21 patients. DRG implementation showed no significant effects. Psychological talking therapy was evaluated as "very good" (P ≤ .05). With regard to the success of the medical talking and nutrition therapy, there were no significant differences (P ≥ .05) between the time before and after DRG implementation. CONCLUSION: Broadening conventional medical treatment with CAM practices can lead to a parallel treatment of DRGs in hospitals working with complementary medicine. This results in very patient-centered therapies, which may impact patient satisfaction.

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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: As a disease of the musculoskeletal system, fibromyalgia is becoming increasingly important, because of the direct and indirect costs to health systems. The purpose of this study of health economics was to obtain information about staff costs differentiated by service provider, and staff and material costs of the nonmedical infrastructure in inpatient care. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study looked at 263 patients who received interdisciplinary inpatient treatment for severe forms of fibromyalgia with acute exacerbation of pain between 2011 and 2014. Standardized cost accounting and an analysis of additional diagnoses were performed. RESULTS: The average cost per patient was €3,725.84, with staff and material costs of the nonmedical infrastructure and staff costs of doctors and nurses accounting for the highest proportions of the costs. Each fibromyalgia patient had an average of 6.1 additional diagnoses. CONCLUSION: Severe forms of fibromyalgia are accompanied by many concomitant diseases and associated with both high clinical staff costs and high medical and nonmedical infrastructure costs. Indication-based cost calculations provide important information for health policy and hospital managers if they include all elements that incur costs in both a differentiated and standardized way.

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INTRODUCTION: The aim of this, the largest survey of patients performed to date, is to analyse the effects of diagnosis related groups (DRGs) on the doctor-patient relationship in the context of interdisciplinary patient-centered care. In addition, it is intended to investigate the possibility of motivating patients to change their behavioural patterns and lifestyle in the context of holistic therapy. METHODS: Over a period of five years, a continuous survey was performed of hospitalised patients who were exercising their entitlement to interdisciplinary therapy in an acute, inpatient setting. RESULTS: The therapy was evaluated as good to very good both with and without the conditions of the case tariff fee system. Effects of the diagnosis related groups on the quality of the doctor-patient relationship could not be demonstrated (Mann-Whitney U test, p>0,05). A clear trend was evident in the influence on motivation to change behavioural patterns and lifestyle (Fisher's exact test, p=0,000). CONCLUSIONS: Studies of the effects of reimbursement systems in the context of interdisciplinary care are still in their infancy, despite the widespread use of diagnosis related groups. The mandatory character implicit in the case tariff fee system, which requires minimum qualitative standards for structural and procedural parameters in the context of providing interdisciplinary patient-centered care, can influence patients' behavioural patterns and lifestyle.