Orteo -Organizational Team Outcome Study
The ORTEO study examines how organizational factors are associated with the perceived quality of care, patient satisfaction, and the subjective success of rehabilitation.
Factsheet
- Schools involved School of Health Professions
- Institute(s) Institute for Collaborative Practice and Leadership in Healthcare
- Funding organisation Others
- Duration (planned) 01.04.2026 - 30.04.2028
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Head of project
Prof. Dr. Mirjam Körner
Prof. Dr. Markus Wirtz
Dr. Rüdiger Nübling
Dr. Udo Kaiser
Dr. Jürgen Schmidt - Project staff Dr. Anja Alexandra Schulz
- Keywords rehabilitation team, teamwork, organisational health services research, organisation, PREMs, PROMs, leadership, organisational resilience, organisational readiness for change, interprofessional,
Situation
Rehabilitation clinics are facing significant pressure to adapt: demographic shifts, more complex treatment pathways, digitalization, a shortage of skilled workers, and rising quality standards are shaping the delivery of care. At the same time, current scientific findings show that organizational factors—such as interprofessional collaboration, leadership, and resilient organizational structures—are key success factors for both patients and staff. However, it remains unclear exactly how structural and organizational characteristics influence the success of rehabilitation. This is precisely where the ORTEO study comes in—with a rigorous multi-level analytical approach. The ORTEO study examines the relationship between structural and organizational characteristics of rehabilitation facilities—particularly those concerning staff and teams—the quality of rehabilitation treatments from the perspective of patients (PREMs), patient satisfaction, and subjective rehabilitation success.
Course of action
The study is designed as a cross-sectional study with a multi-level design. In addition to ongoing continuous patient surveys, surveys of rehabilitation team members will be conducted and structural data collected in approximately 30 clinics during the 3rd and 4th quarters of 2026. For the staff survey, a sample size of approximately n = 1,500–1,700 can be assumed. With regard to the patient survey, approximately 10,000 responses are expected for the participating clinics and the aforementioned quarters; a reference sample of approximately 120,000 questionnaires from 80 clinics/125 departments is available. The data analysis is based on the standards of the DNVF Memorandum for organizational health services research. The use of random-effects mixed-effects analyses enables the joint modeling of data at the level of rehabilitation patients and at the level of care units.
Result
The results have direct relevance for clinical practice and scientific advancement. A valid understanding of the structures, processes, outputs, and outcomes in rehabilitation clinics requires a systemic perspective. Healthcare organizations are social systems whose effects are significant for the organization itself, the providers, and the patients. Due to the severe shortage of skilled personnel, ongoing transformations currently taking place in rehabilitation clinics, and the importance of effective rehabilitation teams for “quality rehabilitation,” this research project is the first to thoroughly examine rehabilitation clinics as complex organizations from a comprehensive multi-level perspective. Based on clinic-specific feedback, the foundation is laid for comprehensive interventions to initiate improvements in the organizational quality of care and to strengthen the willingness to change and organizational resilience. Last but not least, rehabilitation satisfaction and success are included as key parameters for referral management by payers as well as for clinic selection by potential rehabilitation patients within the framework of the right to choose.
Looking ahead
he study aims to identify guidelines for ensuring “comprehensive” quality assessment that covers the various levels (rehabilitation patients, staff, team, and organization) in a differentiated manner and can provide evidence-based justification for level-specific measures for team and organizational development.
