First CoRe-Net Newsletter

The project CoRe-Net started in February 2017 with the aim of developing a Cologne Research and Development network. Cologne is one of a few regions chosen by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research to promote this unique structural development, making Cologne a model region for the improvement of health and social care in Germany.

So one year has passed and we are happy to present an update on what has happened in this first CoRe-Net year. This newsletter provides up-to-date information concerning CoRe-Net, a competence network connecting scientific practice and research.

For further information on CoRe-Net, please visit our English website.

Content:

1. News in the CoRe-Net subprojects

1.1. LYOL-C
1.2. MenDis-CHD
1.3. OrgValue

2. Rückblick „Köln trifft CoRe-Net (Cologne meets CoRe-Net)“

3. Results of the World Café

3.1. Cologne’s construction sites in health and social care
3.2. Practiced patient participation: how can patients’ voices take better account in decisions on all levels?
3.3. Health care practice and research – how can the exchange be improved?
3.4. Cologne as a caring community – how can we care for people at the end of life together?
3.5. Well cared? Risks for mental disorders for young adults

1. News in the CoRe-Net subprojects

1.1. LYOL-C – Last year of life study in Cologne

The subproject LYOL-C examines the last year of life of patients in Cologne, independent from their indication. The research will focus on the health and social care trajectories, transitions between different care providers and the concomitant burden for both patients and relatives.

LYOL-C is currently conducting the quantitative surveys with relatives. Since launching the project in February 2017, a number of activities have occurred:

– Positive ethics committee vote
– Submission of the study protocol
– First meeting with practice partners in the Department of Palliative Medicine belonging tohe University Hospital of Cologne

Translation, adaptation and development of the questionnaire
Creation of flyers and posters for recruitment
Acquisition of new practice partners for recruitment and starting the surveys
Training in qualitative methods
Preparation of qualitative interviews with relatives
Preparation of the statutory health insurance (SHI) data analysis

Please click here for more information.

1.2. MenDis-CHD – Quality of care regarding the detection and treatment of mental disorders in patients with coronary heart disease in Cologne

The goal is to use the CoRe-Net structures to analyze trajectories, potential barriers and quality of care concerning the detection and treatment of mental disorders in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). The project additionally aims to develop possibilities for optimizing the treatment of patients with somatic and mental disorders, to increase patient-centered and value-based health care.

Since launching the MenDis-CHD project in February 2017 much has been achieved:

Detailed project planning (development of guidelines, logs)
Construction of the questionnaire on aspects of health care and satisfaction with care
Training and workshops
Meetings with practice partners
Registration with the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS)
Positive ethics committee vote
Study protocol
Further publications planned
Recruitment in January 2018

Please click here for more information.

1.3. OrgValue – Characteristics of value-based health and social care from organizations’ perspectives

The subproject OrgValue will serve as a bridge between the subprojects LYOL-C and MenDis-CHD. It will analyze all health and social care organizations involved in LYOL-C and MenDis-CHD concerning patient-centered and resource-oriented care. Additionally, the inhibiting or supporting factors for patient-centered and resource-oriented care will be analyzed.

According to Porter et al. (2013), the creation of value-based health care has to come from within the care organizations and from the professionals themselves.

Since the project launch in February, important milestones have been reached, and the data collection started:

Acquisition of practice partners and a joint meeting in May
Creation of information material: OrgValue flyer and poster for patient recruitment
Positive ethics committee vote
Recruitment of interview participants (decision-makers in care organizations in Cologne and chronically ill patients)
Interviews with decision-makers: preparation of the interview guidelines
Pretesting and conducting the interviews (already conducted 15 interviews, pending interviews with psychotherapists and cardiologists)
Transcribing and analyzing interview material
Project presentation at the German Congress on Health Care Research
Preparation of the study protocol
Planning the questionnaire survey with decision-makers and reviewing the survey instruments

Please click here for more information.

2. Review of “Köln trifft CoRe-Net” (Cologne meets CoRe-Net)

The network meeting “Köln trifft CoRe-net” on 13th November 2017 took place in the Fritz Thyssen Foundation with more than 70 participants. This meeting intended to inform about CoRe-Net and together, create the future of the Cologne Research and Development Network. We welcomed patient and relative representatives, representatives from health insurances and the medical chamber, science and medical professions, besides many others involved in health and social care in Cologne. As part of the meeting, a World Café has occurred, bringing groups of people together to discuss health and social care, as well as the links between health services research and practice. Hereafter, the results of the different roundtable discussions are presented. Impressions of the event can be found here.

3. Results of the World Café

3.1. Cologne’s construction sites in health and social care

There were many deliberations about the need for an effective linkage among the health and care sectors, as well as the increased need for medical specialists. The access to care is often linked to obstacles caused by regional and personal factors. Equal access for everyone is particularly requested—regardless of origin, place of residence or health status.