About us – DSCK

Philosophy

Our focus: Improving healthcare for people with chronic diseases

The German Foundation for the Chronically Ill (FCI) was founded in Fürth in 2004 as a non-profit, independent foundation. We are convinced that good healthcare for people with chronic illnesses is based on individual needs. Our work is driven by the belief that sustainable improvement can be achieved through: innovation, courageous action and integration incorporating the efforts of everyone in the healthcare system, i.e. patients and their relatives, doctors and therapists, as well as funding parties and healthcare policy representatives.

We achieve excellence through a focus on quality - the cornerstone of our successful work as a foundation. We act responsibly and considerately. At the same time, we boldly break new ground, are open-minded and think differently. We continually aim to improve healthcare for those affected by chronic illness through digital transformation and development of new technologies. Involving stakeholders in a participatory manner on our projects that span a wide range of conditions from heart failure and neuromuscular diseases to opioid addiction is of great importance.

Mission

We at FCI have a common, overarching goal of sustainably improving the care of people with chronic illnesses. To achieve this goal, our work is based on four pillars:

Project work

On specific projects, we work together with our partners to:

create the best conditions so that people with chronic illnesses can receive the best possible care,
overcome existing deficits in the care of people with chronic illnesses and
empower those affected to best manage their illness

We cover a wide range of conditions - from chronic heart failure to neuromuscular diseases, COVID-19 and opioid addiction. In all our projects, we act responsibly and considerately.

Networking

We are convinced that change is best achieved by engaging all stakeholders. For us, cooperation and the linking of different parties in the healthcare system is a prerequisite for optimal development of existing structures.

Research

In our research, we contribute to the continuous improvement of care for people with chronic illnesses - helping shape the healthcare system in the long-term. We focus primarily on empirical social research, particularly on the implementation of innovations in the healthcare system. Through our research, we gain insights into the following questions, among others:

How is the quality of care perceived?
What are the needs of those involved?
What influences acceptance, motivation and user behavior, especially in regard to digital solutions, health-supporting technologies and process change?
How do patients rate their physical, mental and social health (Patient-Reported-Outcome-Measures - PROMs)

Participation of everyone involved is important to us - from patients and their families, doctors, nurses and therapists to sponsors and representatives of healthcare policy.

Information

Through information, we inform the public about our work and its relevance for society to empower those affected in dealing with their illness.

Mission

We at the German Foundation for the Chronically Ill have a common, overarching goal of sustainably improving the care of people with chronic illnesses. To achieve this goal, our work is based on four pillars:

Project work

Research

Networking

Information

Project work

On specific projects, we work together with our partners to:

create the best conditions so that people with chronic illnesses can receive the best possible care,
overcome existing deficits in the care of people with chronic illnesses, and
empower those affected to best manage their illness.

We cover a wide range of conditions - from chronic heart failure to neuromuscular diseases, COVID-19 and opioid addiction. In all our projects, we act responsibly and considerately.

Research

In our research, we contribute to the continuous improvement of care for people with chronic illnesses - helping shape the healthcare system in the long-term. We focus primarily on empirical social research, particularly on the implementation of innovations in the healthcare system. Through our research, we gain insights into the following questions, among others:

How is the quality of care perceived?
What are the needs of those involved?
What influences acceptance, motivation and user behavior, especially in regard to digital solutions, health-supporting technologies and process change?
How do patients rate their physical, mental and social health (Patient Reported Outcome Measures - PROMs)?

Participation of everyone involved is important to us - from patients and their families, doctors, nurses and therapists to sponsors and representatives of healthcare policy.

Networking

We are convinced that change is best achieved by engaging all stakeholders. For us, cooperation and the linking of different parties in the healthcare system is a prerequisite for optimal development of existing structures.

Information

Through information, we inform the public about our work and its relevance for society to empower those affected in dealing with their illness.

Team

The German Foundation for the Chronically Ill has three committees: the Executive Board, the Board of Trustees, and the Scientific Advisory Board. These committees take care of the foundation's business to ensure the foundation's objectives are fulfilled effectively and sustainably.

The German Foundation for the Chronically Ill supports gender equality in research, development and innovation. We share the European Commission's goal of achieving gender equality in science. In our Horizon Europe Gender Equality Plan, emphasized are the key elements of our gender equality policy.

The Executive Board manages the operational business and decides on all matters in accordance with our statues. The Executive Board consists of:

Dr Thomas M. Helms (Chairman of the Executive Board)
RA Horst Ohlmann (Member of the Executive Board)
Dr Bettina Zippel-Schultz (Deputy Member of the Executive Board)

The Scientific Advisory Board supports and advises the board of directors and employees in the projects with its respective expertise. Find out who is involved in the Scientific Advisory Board of the German Foundation for the Chronically Ill.

The Board of Trustees, together with the Executive Board, has the task of planning the strategic direction and activities of the foundation as well as monitoring the foundation's activities in accordance with our statues. Find out who is involved in the Board of Trustees of the German Foundation for the Chronically Ill.

Get to know the Team of the German Foundation for the Chronically Ill, which implements the strategies, projects and research activities with great commitment at an operational level. Quality as well as evidence- and science-based approaches are the guiding principles of our work.