For BKK insured people: coordinated care for migraines and headaches

BKK-insured patients with migraines, headaches and neuralgia can now receive even better medical treatment. The BKK contract working group NORD (BKK-VAG NORD) and the Kiel Pain Clinic have laid the contractual foundations for coordinated care for their patients.

A total of 48 company health insurance companies , united in the BKK regional association NORDWEST, contract working group NORD , are offering their insured members nationwide this treatment program from April 1, 2012. The focus of networking is on:

• optimized treatment based on the latest scientific standards,
• Cross -sector specialized treatment paths,
• organized treatment chain,
• ongoing progress and success monitoring

overview

Migraines and other chronic headaches affect 54 million people in Germany. They are among the ten most severely disabling conditions and among the three most expensive neurological diseases. In order to overcome the chronic sectoral walls and medical professional 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-sector and interdisciplinary networking of outpatient and inpatient therapy. Care hand in hand, more knowledge, better exchange of information between everyone involved and joint work using clearly defined treatment paths are the basis for contemporary and efficient treatment results.

Networking

A national network of outpatient and inpatient pain therapists in practices and clinics work hand in hand to optimally relieve pain across disciplines and sectors using contemporary methods. The professional groups involved treat in accordance with current guidelines and the latest scientific standards. Outpatient, rehabilitative and inpatient therapies are closely coordinated and interlinked over time. The concept offers supra-regional, coordinated treatment between resident pain therapists from various specialist groups in specialized practices, pain clinics and clinics without restrictions due to professional boundaries and bureaucratic remuneration sectors. For diseases that are refractory to therapy, highly intensive, supra-regional, fully inpatient treatment can be provided. For the first time, the concept offers nationwide coordinated treatment without restrictions by professional boundaries and bureaucratic remuneration sectors. This care offer for BKK-insured patients with migraines, headaches and neuralgia makes it possible to comprehensively identify the mechanisms that cause headaches and to address them in a targeted manner. The patients are actively involved, develop a better understanding of their illness and can thus also have a positive influence on 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 includes 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 intolerance, psychological and social complications, and organ damage.

Integrated connected care consists of three phases:

• Phase I: Specialized diagnostics, professional screening, selection of cross-sector treatment paths, on-site treatment
• Phase II: Highly intensive cross-sector neurobehavioral medical treatment
• Phase III: Outpatient progress and success control, cross-sector monitoring of the therapy progress