Neuruppin, 21 March 2025
A project called “SEELE” (focus on independence and quality of life in palliative care) tests an innovative and integrative format of patient care in the State of Brandenburg. Persons with life-limiting diseases receive comprehensive medical and psychosocial support in newly opened palliative day care facilities in Potsdam, Eberswalde and the two university hospitals of the Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane (MHB) in Rüdersdorf and Neuruppin. Closing the gap between outpatient and inpatient care, the format is intended to offer more security and quality of life to patients and their families. The project aims at comprehensive outpatient palliative care through direct links to hospitals, daycare facilities and an emergency hotline. It supports patients in their intention to remain autonomous and coordinates arrays of therapies, which serves to reduce demands on family doctors and specialists. Moreover, it addresses the growing demand for palliative care as a consequence of longer survival times and demographic change.
A ceremony at the Potsdam State Chancellery marked the start of the project on 7 March 2025.
Participants were Brandenburg’s Health Minister Britta Müller, Dr. Katrin Ziemann as project leader, Dr. Gesine Dörr (senior physician, internal medicine department at Alexianer St. Josefs-Krankenhaus Potsdam), project partners from Eberswalde, the associated MHB university hospitals in Rüdersdorf und Neuruppin, MHB and TU Berlin, and representatives of Health Insurance Schemes AOK Nordost and IKK Brandenburg/ Berlin.
The G-BA (Federal Joint Committee of German health agencies) co-funds the project with a total of 5.2 million Euro, and the MHB Center for Clinical Studies directed by Prof. Dr. Michael Hauptmann (photo) monitors the project. In this context, data from test participants are analyzed in comparison with those from patients of AOK Nordost and IKK Berlin-Brandenburg. About 250 patients will be involved for a period of 18 months starting 1 April. The MHB is in charge of comprehensive process and outcome evaluation, including:
- analysis of changes in quality of life and symptomatology in before/after comparison,
- health economic evaluation of hospitalization and specialized palliative outpatient care via control data compiled by AOK Nordost and IKK Nordost, in comparison with a matched patient control group,
- a sub-project of qualitative research in a mixed methods design to address the needs, constraints and expectations of all stakeholders involved – from patients and families to caregivers.
Prof. Hauptmann says he is looking forward to the start of this project as an exemplary design bringing together the associated university hospitals, the MHB and patients in Brandenburg in a state-funded clinical gerontology study.
The project is scheduled to be completed by March 2028. The successful model, so the hope of all partners involved, will then be made part of standard care and thus effectively strengthen palliative care nationwide.
For more information see here.
