Background In the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous researchers postponed their patient and public involvement (PPI) activities. This was mainly due to assumptions on patients’ willingness and skills to participate digitally. In fact, digital PPI workshops differ from in-person meetings as some forms of non-verbal cues and body language may be missing and technical barriers may exist. Within our project HYPERION-TransCare we adapted our PPI workshop series for intervention development to a digital format and assessed whether these digital workshops were feasible for patients, health care professionals and researchers. Methods We used a digital meeting tool that included communication via audio, video and chat. Discussions were documented simultaneously on a digital white board. Technical support was provided via phone and chat during the workshops and with a technical introduction workshop in advance. The workshop evaluation encompassed observation protocols, participants’ feedback via chat after each workshop on their chance to speak and the usability of the digital tools, and telephone interviews on patients’ and health professionals’ experiences after the end of the workshop series. Results Observation protocols showed an active role of moderators in verbally encouraging every participant to get involved. Technical challenges occurred, but were in most cases immediately addressed and solved. Participants median rating of their chance to speak and the usability of the digital tool was “very good”. In the evaluation interviews participants reported a change of perspective and mutual understanding as a main benefit from the PPI workshops and described the atmosphere as inclusive and on equal footing. Benefits of the digital format such as overcoming geographical distance, saving time and combining workshop participation with professional or childcare obligations were reported. Technical support was stressed as a pre-condition for getting actively involved in digital PPI. Conclusions Digital formats using different didactic and documentation techniques, accompanied by technical support, can foster active patient and public involvement. The advantages of digital PPI formats such as geographical flexibility and saving time for participants as well as the opportunity to prepare and hold workshops in geographically stretched research teams persists beyond the pandemic and may in some cases outweigh the advantages of in-person communication. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40900-022-00387-1.

IntroductionOlder patients with multimorbidity, polypharmacy and related complex care needs represent a growing proportion of the population and a challenge for healthcare systems. Particularly in transitional care (hospital admission and hospital discharge), medical errors, inappropriate treatment, patient concerns and lack of confidence in healthcare are major problems that may arise from a lack of information continuity. The aim of this study is to develop an intervention to improve informational continuity of care at the interface between general practice and hospital care.Methods and analysisA qualitative approach will be used to develop our participatory intervention. Overall, 32 semistructured interviews with relevant stakeholders will be conducted and analysed. The stakeholders will include healthcare professionals from the outpatient setting (general practitioners, healthcare assistants, ambulatory care nurses) and the inpatient setting (clinical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, clinical information scientists) as well as patients and informal caregivers. At a series of workshops based on the results of the stakeholder analyses, we aim to develop a participatory intervention that will then be implemented in a subsequent pilot study. The same stakeholder groups will be invited for participation in the workshops.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval for this study was waived by the Ethics Committee of Goethe University Frankfurt because of the nature of the proposed study. Written informed consent will be obtained from all study participants prior to participation. Results will be tested in a pilot study and disseminated at (inter)national conferences and via publication in peer-reviewed journals.Trial registation numberClinical Trials Register: registration number DRKS00027649.

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund Leitlinien (LL) sind ein wichtiges Instrument der Qualitätsförderung – auch in der hausärztlichen Versorgung. Seit Jahren erstellen hochmotivierte Mitglieder der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Allgemeinmedizin und Familienmedizin (DEGAM) meist ehrenamtlich methodisch anspruchsvolle hausärztliche Leitlinien oder sind an der Entwicklung interdisziplinärer Leitlinien beteiligt. Der Innovationsausschuss des Gemeinsamen Bundesausschusses (G-BA) schreibt seit 2020 Förderprogramme zur (Weiter‑)Entwicklung von Leitlinien aus. Ziel der Arbeit Mit dieser Publikation sollen durch den Innovationsausschuss des G‑BA aktuell geförderte DEGAM-Leitlinienprojekte vorgestellt werden. Material und Methoden Die Vorstellung erfolgt durch eine Kurzbeschreibung der geförderten Leitlinien durch die zugehörigen Autoren(gruppen). Ergebnisse In der 2. Ausschreibungsrunde des G‑BA zur Förderung medizinischer Versorgungsleitlinien (2021) haben sich 5 Autorenteams der DEGAM um eine Finanzierung für die Förderung beworben und die Förderzusagen erhalten. Bei den geförderten DEGAM-Leitlinien handelt es sich um a) eine neue Leitlinienentwicklung, b) die Updates (Aktualisierung) von 2 bestehenden Leitlinien und c) das Update und gleichzeitige Upgrade einer DEGAM-Leitlinie von S1- auf S3-Niveau sowie die Aktualisierung einer S3-Leitlinie als „living guideline“. Diskussionen Leitlinienerstellung ist ressourcenintensiv und fordert ehrenamtliches Engagement. Die G‑BA-Förderung öffnet der DEGAM Möglichkeiten zu Leitlinien(weiter)entwicklungen, die sonst nicht oder nicht als Upgrades erfolgt wären. Um Leitlinienentwicklung voranzubringen, braucht es zusätzliche Förderungen, da die Ressourcen ehrenamtlich motivierter Leitlinienentwickler:innen endlich sind. Die G‑BA-Förderung unterstützt damit auch mittelfristig die Nachwuchsgewinnung von Leitlinienentwickler:innen. Inwiefern diese Nachwuchsförderung nachhaltig ist, wird sich in der Zukunft erweisen.