About InformedHealth.org and Gesundheitsinformation.de

InformedHealth.org is the English-language version of the German website Gesundheitsinformation.de. By publishing this bilingual website, the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG, Germany) fulfills part of its legal mandate to inform the public in matters of health. The website addresses both patients and (healthy) consumers by offering a wide range of different topics.

IQWiG health information is written with the aim of helping people understand the advantages and disadvantages of the main treatment options and health care services. Because IQWiG is a German institute, some of the information provided here is specific to the German health care system. The suitability of any of the described options in an individual case can be determined by talking to a doctor. informedhealth.org can help you prepare for talks with doctors and other medical professionals, but can't replace them. We do not offer individual consultations.

The basic concept for the website www.gesundheitsinformation.de was developed by the members of the department in 2005 under the direction of Hilda Bastian. On February 14, 2006 the German-language website went online for the general public, followed by the launch of the English-language version Informed Health in May 2006 (at www.informedhealth.org).

Dr. Klaus Koch has been the head of department and the editor-in-chief of Gesundheitsinformation.de since May 2011. Dr. Andreas Waltering is the deputy head of department, Sonja Siegert is the deputy editor-in-chief.

The members of the Health Information department have backgrounds in communication, nursing and social sciences as well as in the field of evidence-based health information and medicine. Because all of our articles are produced by various experts at IQWiG working together, no single person is named as the author of an article.

• Dr. Klaus Koch (Head of Department and Editor-in-Chief)
• Dr. Andreas Waltering (Deputy Head of Department)
• Sonja Siegert (Deputy Editor-in-Chief)
• Susanne Alef
• Katharina Biester
• Daniela Böhmler
• Anna Bründermann
• Dr. Roland Büchter
• Marie Debrouwere
• Katharina Doni
• Dr. Martina Ehrlich
• Bettina Eilmes
• Dennis Fechtelpeter
• Julia Iser
• Fabian Kroker
• Heidemarie Kufner-Rausch
• Yamina Merabet
• Regina Meuer
• Sabine Mooren
• Susanne Müller
• Lena Otzen
• Marcella Reissmann
• Tina Rhodes
• Eva Rüdt
• Dr. Inger Scheike
• Dr. Milly Schröer-Günther
• Torsten Stiewe
• Thomas J. Swinehart
• Beate Wiegard
• Elisa Wolff
• Beate Zschorlich

The members of other IQWiG departments and units are often involved in the development of our health information, for instance by providing medical, scientific or statistical expertise. Gesundheitsinformation.de is therefore to a large extent the product of the entire institute working together.

External reviewers are also involved in the process, helping to ensure the quality of our information.

When selecting topics, the editorial staff draws upon various sources:

• The department mainly produces information about a specific catalogue of topics, particularly including common illnesses, diagnoses and health-related issues.
• A further source of topics is the assessments and reports issued by other departments of the institute.
• The department may also be commissioned directly by the Federal Joint Committee or the German Federal Ministry of Health to work on certain topics.

We are also always happy to receive suggestions about new topics and articles. Please use the contact form for this purpose.

Draft versions of the articles created by the editorial staff are submitted to various advisory groups, patient representatives and IQWiG’s board of directors for comments. The articles are also tested in advance by potential users. The feedback we receive is considered in the further editing stages. The editorial responsibility remains with IQWiG.