Quality assurance in the management of asthma and COPD: What do national disease management guidelines achieve?

Optimization of the diagnostics and treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) requires reliable and generally accepted definitions of the necessary and appropriate measures for prevention, diagnostics and treatment. This is the aim of the national guidelines for the management of both diseases, which include evidence-based recommendations on diagnostics, treatment, emergency measures, prevention and rehabilitation as well as suggestions for a coordinated management of affected patients. The acceptance and nationwide use of these guidelines is promoted by the involvement of all disciplines, organizations and representatives of patients engaged in the management of obstructive lung diseases. The national guidelines include recommendations for quality indicators in the management of asthma and COPD, which form the basis of German disease management programs (DMP), just as all other sections of the national guidelines. Evaluation of the DMPs showed an improvement in the quality of treatment of patients with asthma and COPD, which may at least be partly attributed to the national disease management guidelines. © 2017, Springer Medizin Verlag Berlin.