[The influence of framework conditions for integrated care programs on their potential of evaluation]

A common justification of the failure to perform scientific evaluations of integrated care programs (in accordance with Sect. 140 SGB V) is the high level of expenditure which is strongly influenced by the conditions of the particular program. Two practical examples will be used to outline frameworks of integrated care programs that may create obstacles to evaluation. If possible, appropriate solutions that may help to avoid or at least reduce these obstacles will be presented.

In many programs target groups and program objectives are inaccurately defined. Especially disease-specific programs bear the risk of having too small a sample size to exclude random effects. Only a few integrated care programs include evaluations that have been proactively planned from the outdet.

In particular, early planning of evaluations plays an important role in avoiding distortions of results and additional expenses. It may also have a positive influence on all other frameworks.