Evaluation of an Integrated Care Project

The German statutory health insurance 'Techniker Krankenkasse' offers an integrated additional homeopathic treatment. To date, this offer has not been evaluated. Therefore we aim to investigate the effectiveness as well as the cost-effectiveness of this program in adolescents (12-17 years) and adults with various chronic diseases. In an observational study we plan to compare patients participating in the integrated care project with matched insured persons from the Techniker Krankenkasse that do not participate in this program. Matching will be based on gender, age and diagnosis. Regarding the diagnosis, we plan to include adolescents with: asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic eczema; and adults with asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic migraine, headache and depression. To measure effectiveness, patients have to complete diagnosis-specific questionnaires at baseline and 3, 6 and 12 months. The primary outcome for each diagnosis is measured with diagnosis-specific questionnaire at 6 months. Secondary outcomes include quality of life (SF-12) at 3, 6 and 12 months as well as the diagnosis-specific questionnaires at 3 and 12 months.