About the Institute of General Practice
The Institute of General Practice shares the principles of the German College of General Practitioners and Family Physicians (DEGAM) and their positions for the future. From an international perspective, we consider the WHO concept for primary health care as groundbreaking for the further development of primary health care. In order to guarantee the democratic principle of equality in the health care for all members of society in a cost-effective and patient-oriented way, primary medical care is the key factor.
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Relevance of General Practice
General practitioners are the largest group of medical specialists in ambulatory care. About 90 percent of all citizens with health insurance have a family doctor (2). General practitioners can treat a considerable part of consultation matters in their practice (3). Therefore, unnecessary transfers to other specialists can be avoided.
The Institute of General Practice identifies and establishes relevant topics for the professional training of GPs. It promotes patient-relevant research at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin with high impact for outpatient care.
References:
1) www.bundesärztekammer.de/fileadmin/user_upload/download/Statistik2016.pdf/ letzter Zugriff am 15.01.2018
2) Gesellschaft für Sozialforschung und statistische Analysen. Einschätzungen der Bundesbürger. Ergebnisse einer Umfrage im Auftrag des Bundesministeriums für Gesundheit. Internist 2002; 5:94-99
3) Green LA,Freyer GE Jr, Yanw BP, lanier D, Dowey SM. The ecology of medical care revisited. N Engl J Med 2001; 344: 2021-2025
History
During the first years, GP teaching corresponded to the pioneering spirit of the post-reunification period. PD Dr.Vittoria Braun started giving lectures at Charité in 1991. For the 2-weeks clerkship in general practice she won general practitioners in Berlin as teaching practices, supported students with their doctorate, and performed tests of medical students. Additionally, she transformed her practice into a teaching practice in order to train medical students in doctor-patient-communication supported by video monitoring. By organizing practice-oriented seminars on syringes, medication and emergency cases, she received excellent evaluations of her teaching and she managed to establish general practice as a teaching subject at Charité. Prof. Schwantes and PD Vittoria Braun shared the professorship while continuing the work in their practices. In scientific work supported by important BMBF-projects a nationwide network of 140 GPs was established with the aim to promote the quality of GP work. The high amount of third-party funds formed the basis for the development of the institute. Due to several publications and innovative teaching methods, the institute has won recognition. Prof Schwantes was commited to the development of the revised medical curriculum. In 2008, he terminated his activities. Prof. Braun was head of the institute until 2012. Next to her professional-policy interest, she was responsible for health care projects, the promotion of innovative training concepts. Addtionally, she initiated further professional training offers for future GPs at Charité.
Since February 2012, Prof. Dr. Christoph Heintze is the new director of the institute. Today, the scientific and non-scientific staff consists of 25 members active in teaching and research. 15 doctoral candidates are supported in their studies.