For BKK-insured persons: Coordinated care for migraine and headache

Patients insured with BKK health insurance who suffer from migraines, headaches, and neuralgia can now receive even better medical care. The BKK Contractual Working Group NORD (BKK-VAG NORD) and the Kiel Pain Clinic have established the contractual framework for coordinated care for their patients.

A total of 48 company health insurance funds , united in the BKK Regional Association NORTHWEST, Contractual Working Group NORTH , will offer this treatment program to their insured members nationwide starting April 1, 2012. The network focuses on the

• optimized treatment based on current scientific knowledge,
• Cross-sectoral specialized treatment pathways,
• organized treatment chain,
• ongoing monitoring of progress and success

overview

Migraines and other chronic headaches affect 54 million people in Germany. They are among the ten most debilitating conditions and the three most expensive neurological diseases. To overcome the entrenched sectoral barriers and medical specialty boundaries, the nationwide headache treatment network was initiated. It represents a milestone for the care of headache patients. For the first time, it enables nationwide, cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary networking of outpatient and inpatient therapy. Close collaboration, increased knowledge, improved information exchange among all involved parties, and joint work using clearly defined treatment pathways form the basis for modern and efficient treatment outcomes.

Networking

A national network of outpatient and inpatient pain therapists in private practices and hospitals works hand in hand to provide optimal pain relief across disciplines and sectors using state-of-the-art methods. The participating professionals treat patients according to current guidelines and the latest scientific standards. Outpatient, rehabilitative, and inpatient therapies are closely coordinated and integrated throughout the treatment process. This concept offers supraregional, coordinated treatment between office-based pain therapists from various specialties in specialized practices, pain clinics, and hospitals, without the limitations of specialty boundaries or bureaucratic reimbursement systems. For therapy-resistant conditions, highly intensive, supraregional inpatient treatment is available. This concept offers, for the first time, nationwide coordinated treatment without the restrictions of specialty boundaries or bureaucratic reimbursement systems. This care program for BKK-insured patients with migraines, headaches, and neuralgia makes it possible to comprehensively identify the underlying mechanisms of headaches and address them specifically. Patients are actively involved, develop a better understanding of their illness and can thus also positively influence the success of the therapy.

Medical focus

The treatment network is geared towards the specialized care of severely affected patients with chronic headache disorders. It encompasses all serious and complex primary and secondary headache disorders, as well as head and facial neuralgia. It focuses on additional serious and complex comorbidities, such as medication overuse, medication intolerances, psychological and social complications, and organ damage.

The integrated networked supply consists of three phases:

• Phase I: Specialized diagnostics, professional screening, selection of cross-sectoral treatment pathways, treatment on site
• Phase II: Highly intensive, cross-sectoral neurological-behavioral medicine treatment
• Phase III: Outpatient monitoring of progress and success, cross-sectoral monitoring of the therapy process