Table 4 Categories of evidence-based recommendations and ideal types of subsequent decisions of the decision makers
Category | Description of recommendation | Decision maker’s response |
|---|---|---|
Recommended | Strong evidence indicating an additional benefit of using the intervention | Inclusion as an unconditionally reimbursable hospital medical service |
Recommended with restriction | Less robust evidence indicating an additional benefit of using the intervention Ongoing studies may have a considerable influence on the effect estimate, leading to the necessity to re-evaluate the medical service at a later stage | Decision makers reimburse the medical service with restriction: Services require approval and can be linked to certain conditions (e.g. university hospitals, cardiology centres etc.). These services are usually re-evaluated at a later stage |
Preliminary rejected | No evidence or inconclusive evidence available to assess an additional benefit of the intervention of interest | No standard reimbursement. It may still be included in the hospital individual services catalogue as a new examination and treatment method (“Neue Untersuchungs- und Behandlungsmethode/ NUB”; XN-Codes) for the purpose of documentation. A re-evaluation takes place on the basis of the evidence-based recommendation |
Rejected | Strong evidence indicating no benefit and/ or harm of the intervention | No inclusion |