Home Themen Versorgungsforschung

Health Services Research

Die Versorgung im Blick

Focus on the care of rheumatic patients

How quickly do affected people reach a rheumatologist when the disease breaks out? Which drugs are prescribed at the onset and during the course of the disease? Which role do family doctors and other specialists play in the care of patients?

Researchers at the DRFZ are investigating how well rheumatic patients are cared for throughout Germany. In cooperation with rheumatologists, patients are observed over many years. The comprehensive analyses of these data show which therapies are used in clinics and practices at which stage of the disease. Furthermore, it documents which physical and social limitations affected persons face. The researchers pass on the results to the practicing physicians and also to the political decision-makers. The aim is to ensure that all patients receive the best possible therapy, and this is about more than just the right medication.

Rheumatic patients are much better off today than 25 years ago

An important instrument of health services research at the DRFZ is the National Database of the German Collaborative Arthritis Centers. It has been collecting clinical data and patient information of approximately 12,000 patients with rheumatic diseases every year for more than 25 years. The database proves that the disease situation of rheumatism patients has improved continuously since the beginning of the study:

  • the ability to work has increased significantly
  • the burden of disease due to pain or functional impairment has decreased
  • more and more patients achieve an improvement in symptoms or are even symptom-free due to early therapy
  • while the overall cost of treatment has risen significantly, the societal cost of sick leave has decreased

The DRFZ coordinates the National Database, the regional Arthritis Centers collect the data.

 

 

 

 

Questionnaires - the tools of health services research © Gero Breloer/DRFZ

Getting to the bottom of the issue... © Gero Breloer/DRFZ

Although much is now recorded digitally, manual processing is still part of the everyday routine. © Gero Breloer/DRFZ

© Gero Breloer/DRFZ

Overview of rheumatism centres
You can find contact person here

Rheumatic patients should see a rheumatologist

By analysing health insurance data and related patient information, researchers at the DRFZ were able to uncover major deficits in the prescription of anti-rheumatic therapies in the following patient groups:

  • Patients who were not in specialist medical care. Only 2 out of 3 of those questioned were seeing a rheumatologist
  • patients older than 60 years
  • Patients who had so-called rheumatoid factors in the blood – these are autoantibodies that can often, but not always, be found in rheumatoid arthritis

With this project (PROCLAIR), the DRFZ has gained insight into the care of rheumatic patients who are not patients of the regional Arthritis Centers. In the follow-up project TARISMA, which has been funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research since May 2020, further possible risks for insufficient care are being investigated. In this project the focus is extended to rare rheumatic diseases such as Sjögren’s syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus. The TARISMA project involves research partners from the German Rheumatism League in order to take into account the patients’ perspectives.

Patients and relatives
You can find further information here.
Partner
Print
Share

News on the topic

LinkMedR Kickoff
Research ticker |

Linking medical registries in the new LinKMedR project

NAKO Logo
For patients |

NAKO study: more frequent depression, but no differences in cognitive tests in rheumatic disease

Weltrheumatag Danke
For patients |

Thanks to the patients: A better understanding of rheumatism with their support

Posterpreise DGRh
News |

DGRh science awards for DRFZ epidemiologists

Memorandum DGRh Springer Medizin GmbH BraunSchönauer
For patients |

The new DGRh memorandum

Nichtrauchertag DRFZ
For patients |

Interview on MDR with Dr. Johanna Callhoff

For patients |

Final symposium of the TARISMA research network

Sjögren Tag AdobeStock 622914495
For patients |

Sjögren-Tag 2024 am 6. April bei der Deutschen Rheuma-Liga Berlin

Kerndokumentation DRFZ
Research ticker |

High therapy satisfaction among patients with rheumatic diseases

Anne Regierer
News |

Anne Regierer is head of the new group Registry Research in Rheumatology

Johanna Callhoff
News |

Johanna Callhoff new head of the Health Services Research Group

Vaskulitiden DRFZ
News |

Biologics expand therapy options for vasculitis

Wolfgang Schulze Preis
News |

Wolfgang Schulze Foundation Förderpreis 2023 for two DRFZ scientists

Research ticker |

1.5-2.1 million adults with rheumatic diseases in Germany

For patients |

DRFZ at the Rheumatology Congress 2023 in Leipzig

Auszeichnung der EULAR für Angela Zink
News |

Angela Zink honoured with the EULAR Meritorious Service Award 2023

Eicke Latz
News |

The new Board of Directors is complete

Anne Regierer
News |

New network of medical registries: Anne Regierer is spokesperson

Nachwuchsakademie
News |

Yvette Meissner chosen to attend the 5th Young Researchers Academy on Health Services Research

For patients |

Sex-specific bias in the diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory rheumatic diseases

PhD-reps DRFZ 2023
For patients |

International Women and Girls in Science Day: Together as a team

Carsten Watzl
News |

Carsten Watzl is the new Chairperson of the DRFZ Scientific Advisory Board

Meissner 2022
Research ticker |

Rheumatological care of pregnant axial spondyloarthritis patients is important

Prof. Radbruch erhält Ehrenmitgliedschaft der DGRh
For patients |

Prizes and Honours at the Congress of the German Society for Rheumatology

Ankuendigung Ausstellung in der BBAW
For patients |

Die Vermessung der Zelle – Ausstellung in der BBAW Berlin

For patients |

Prof. Elisabeth Märker-Hermann (MD) is the new President of the Board of Trustees

Katinka Albrecht et al
For patients |

Do more and more people in Germany have rheumatoid arthritis?

Prof. Anja Strangfeld
News |

Anja Strangfeld is the new head of the Programme Area Epidemiology at the DRFZ

News |

In memoriam of Reinhold Schmidt

sars-cov-19 Ergebnisse aus der DRFZ-Rheuma-Epidemiologie
Research ticker |

Europäische COVAX-Studie: COVID-19-Impfstoffe auch für Menschen mit Rheuma verträglich und wirksam

Martin Schäfer
For patients |

The Leibniz Postdoc Network introduces: Martin Schäfer

Ankündigung Weltrheuma-Tag 2021
For patients |

Welt-Rheuma-Tag am 12.10.2021, 17.00 Uhr: Vortrag von PD Dr. med. Anja Strangfeld

Joachim Listing
For patients |

Joachim Listing awarded Kußmaul Medal

LUPUS Science Medicine
Research ticker |

Systemic lupus erythematosus = many concomitant diseases?

Prof. Gromnica-Ihle
For patients |

Rheuma bewegt uns alle – Dank an Frau Prof. Erika Gromnica-Ihle

Research ticker |

Schmerzmittel bei Rheuma – eine Analyse von Abrechnungsdaten

News |

International Day of Women and Girls in Science: portraits of female DRFZ employees

Illustration zu Pressemeldung Covid-19-rheuma-Register
Research ticker |

Ergebnisse aus dem Register Covid-19-rheuma

Zeitschrift für Rheumatologie, Titelbild 12-2020
For patients |

Das Was, Wie und Warum in der rheumatologischen Versorgung

Research ticker |

Health insurance data show a high burden of disease in osteoarthritis

Albrecht et al PM
Research ticker |

25 years of observation: rheumatic patients are much better cared for today

News |

Arbeitsgruppe Kerndokumentation mit Kussmaul-Medaille der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie ausgezeichnet

Further research topics

Sign up for the
DRFZ NewsFlash