Therapiepfaden

Therapiepfaden, in English often called clinical pathways or treatment pathways, are structured, evidence-based sequences of clinical interventions designed to guide the treatment of a specific disease or patient group. They aim to standardize care, reduce unwarranted variation, improve quality and outcomes, and support coordination among care providers.

A Therapiepfad typically includes elements such as patient assessment criteria, diagnostic steps, therapeutic options with preferred sequences, timing and monitoring plans, escalation or de-escalation rules, discharge planning, and patient education materials. They are developed by multidisciplinary teams and are grounded in clinical guidelines and evidence grades, while allowing adaptation to local resources and individual patient needs.

Implementation and use: used in hospitals and ambulatory care, often integrated with health information systems and quality metrics. Benefits reported include more consistent care, improved guideline adherence, shortened hospital stays, and more predictable costs. Challenges include ensuring clinician buy-in, keeping pathways up to date with new evidence, accommodating patient preferences and comorbidities, and avoiding overly rigid protocols.

In the German-speaking health context, Therapiepfaden are part of efforts to standardize treatment pathways (Behandlungspfade) within hospitals and care networks. They are part of broader initiatives to promote evidence-based practice and performance measurement.

See also clinical pathway, care pathway, guidelines.