Interface problems in medical rehabilitation: Development of a brief questionnaire to assess GPs needs for information and communication

Against the background of current and future demographic changes the releva nce of medical rehabilitation in the German health care system is generally acknowledged. It is a central element of treatment programmes especially f or elderly and chronically ill patients. In recent years, problems due to l ack of co-operation and communication as well as insufficient links between acute care and rehabilitation treatment have found increasing attention. P revious attempts to increase involvement especially of general practitioner s in the rehabilitation process were only slightly successful. In a pilot study conducted by the Rehabilitationswissen-schaftlicher Arbeit skreis Schleswig-Holstein a new procedure was tested to increase involvemen t of general practitioners. A brief questionnaire was attached to the repor t of discharge of rehabilitation patients and was sent to 130 practitioners . With this questionnaire the general attitude and need for information of the practitioners should be analysed. Knowledge about these variables shoul d help to improve communication and co-operation. The response rate was qui re high: about 75% of the contacted practitioners answered the questionnair e. All practitioners described medical rehabilitation as important and also had a quite positive attitude toward the same. Two-thirds of the physician s were interested in more intensive contacts and requested further informat ion.