Patient-centered Coordination in Healthcare Service Networks

This work investigates the idea of a coordination service that improves the information flow between independent stakeholders along the patient care pathway. Based on identified requirements regarding process, ICT-structure, and legal constraints, a stroke-specific coordination service was developed, validated, implemented, and evaluated accordingly. The coordination service, the so called Stroke Manager, was analyzed by evaluating its effectiveness, efficiency, and acceptance in an 18-months randomized controlled trial in the German region Rhön Grabfeld. The randomized controlled trial confirmed a significant positive impact on patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and competences while providing a positive cost-benefit ratio and acceptance by the involved stakeholders.