[Quality standards and certification of patient education in rheumatology]

Patient education includes much more than only explanation or information regarding illness. The intention of all is to have a positive influence on patients' behaviour and to deliver the capability of self-management. One has to understand that the development and the realization of those programme needs a high quality level to achieve a reasonable result. The quality standards have been worked out by the DGRh-commission "Patientenschulung"-demonstrating the different levels of patient education. These standards are the basics of certificate and also the prerequisite to negotiate about the costs of patient education with the health insurance.