Institut für Qualitätssicherung und Transparenz im Gesundheitswesen
Englisch: Institute for Quality Assurance and Transparency in Healthcare
The Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) was established on June 1, 2004, as an entity of the Foundation for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care, following the healthcare reform. It operates on behalf of the Joint Federal Committee (G-BA) or the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG). IQWiG is funded through surcharges on inpatient and outpatient medical services, which are mostly reimbursed by statutory health insurance (GKV).
The institute's tasks include evaluating surgical and diagnostic procedures, medications, and treatment guidelines. Based on evidence-based medicine, IQWiG also develops the foundations for new Disease Management Programs (DMP), structured treatment programs for chronically ill patients. In this way, the institute helps improve medical care in Germany. The controversial former director Peter Sawicki was replaced by Jürgen Windeler in 2010.