Paediatric rehabilitation treatment standards: a method for quality assurance in Germany.

Abstract

Over the last few years, the German Pension Insurance has implemented a new method of quality assurance for inpatient rehabilitation of children and adolescents diagnosed with bronchial asthma, obesity, or atopic dermatitis: the so-called rehabilitation treatment standards (RTS). They aim at promoting a comprehensive and evidence-based care in rehabilitation. Furthermore, they are intended to make the therapeutic processes in medical rehabilitation as well as potential deficits more transparent. The development of RTS was composed of five phases during which current scientific evidence, expert knowledge, and patient expectations were included. Their core element is the specification of evidence-based treatment modules that describe a good rehabilitation standard for children diagnosed with bronchial asthma, obesity, or atopic dermatitis. Opportunities and limitations of the RTS as a tool for quality assurance are discussed.Significance for public healthThe German pension insurance’s rehabilitation treatment standards (RTS) for inpatient rehabilitation of children and adolescents aim at contributing to a comprehensive and evidence-based care in paediatric rehabilitation. As a core element, they comprise evidence-based treatment modules that describe a good rehabilitation standard for children diagnosed with bronchial asthma, obesity, or atopic dermatitis. Although the RTS have been developed for the specific context of the German health care system, they may be referred to as a more general starting point regarding the development of health care and quality assurance standards in child/adolescent medical rehabilitative care.