UFO - Recording of undesirable treatment outcomes after surgery from the patient's perspective

Study Objective

The aim of UFO is the early detection and long-term reduction of postoperative complications. To this end, the project team is developing a survey instrument that systematically captures non-desirable treatment outcomes after surgery (UFOs) using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). This will enable:

• a comparison and benchmarking of postoperative outcomes between outpatient and inpatient surgeries.
• the early detection of postoperative complications, enabling targeted follow-up care and early intervention.

Study Objective

The DEGAM guideline „Erhöhter TSH-Wert in der Hausarztpraxis“ includes recommendations that explicitly call for the avoidance of overdiagnosis: in the case of elevated TSH levels, no measurement of fT3 should be performed, and ultrasound examination of the thyroid gland is also not indicated. However, this knowledge has not yet been sufficiently translated into practice: around one third of laboratory tests for monitoring thyroid disease are not performed in accordance with the guidelines, and ultrasound examinations carried out too early lead to unnecessary follow-up examinations and treatments.

The aim of the DIAMANT-SD project is to develop and assess the feasibility of an intervention providing decision-making aids for thyroid-specific laboratory tests and ultrasounds. The so-called “Diagnostic Box” is intended to equip doctors and patients with tools to assess the necessity and risks of diagnostic tests with greater certainty. The Diagnostic Box aims to help reduce the use of unnecessary diagnostics. The project proceeds as follows:

Development of a Diagnostic Box: With the involvement of general practitioners, specialist physicians, patients, and citizens, a Diagnostic Box will be developed. The Diagnostic Box contains: (1) training on thyroid diagnostics, overdiagnosis and risk communication, (2) informational materials for patients on thyroid-related laboratory tests and ultrasound, (3) the arriba

1. tool for risk assessment and communication regarding thyroid ultrasound, and (4) peer comparison feedback on laboratory tests and ultrasound.
2. Feasibility Study: The impact of the Diagnostic Box on healthcare delivery will be estimated in a cluster-randomised study to measure the success of the intervention. Practices that play a significant role in primary care will be included. The feasibility evaluation (recruitment, randomisation, intervention, follow-up assessments) serves to prepare for a possible subsequent intervention study.
3. Long-term Implementation Strategies: Strategies for the sustainable integration of the intervention into medical practice will be developed.

The project will be funded with €1.5 million over three years and has started in April 2025.

DIVA - Digital networking in conservative ophthalmology

Study Objective

In Thuringia, a federal state of Germany, up to 54 percent of people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus who are covered by statutory health insurance do not receive the recommended ophthalmological screening (diabetic retinopathy screening) for the early detection of diabetic retinal disease. In economically depraved regions in particular, there is a shortfall in care, which exposes those affected to an increased risk of undetected and progressive retinal damage.

The primary aim of the DIVA project is to increase the screening rate for diabetic retinopathy in underserved regions of Thuringia by means of a new form of healthcare delivery (‘Neue Versorgungsform’, NVF). Through telemedical examination of the ocular fundus, pathological retinal changes can be detected at an early stage in order to prevent severe disease progression and make more efficient use of ophthalmological resources.

The project will be funded with €6.2 million over three and a half years and has started in summer 2025. If successfully implemented, telemedicine-supported retinal examinations could be incorporated into routine care in the long term and established as a model for further telemedicine applications.