Research

The IQH designs and implements practical research with the aim of generating knowledge that contributes to innovation and high quality in home care for the elderly, sick and disabled. Here, the IQH builds on projects from predecessor and partner institutions at the BAGSS.

Current research projects

MobileCare - Shaping better cross-border care together

Home care for the elderly and people in need of care has long been unthinkable without workers from other EU countries. Nevertheless, working conditions, social security and the participation of those involved often fall short of what is needed. This is precisely where MobileCare an EU-funded joint project that is looking for new, practicable solutions in seven countries (Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Malta, Lithuania and Serbia). The IQH is happy to be part of this project with its networks and resources.

What do we want to achieve?

Bringing light into the darkness
Collection of data and good examples - Surveys, interviews and focus groups show where the mobility of caregivers is currently lacking and which approaches are already working in which countries and how.

Strengthening social dialog
National and Europe-wide consultations bring together carers, families, placement agencies, trade unions and politicians. The aim is a common Strategy paper for fair mobility.

Ensuring practical transfer
Through workshops, conferences and the European Labor Mobility Congress 2026 results are communicated directly to politicians and the industry.

Who is there?

FPP - Federacja Przedsiębiorców Polskich (Project coordination PL)
VHBP - Federal Association for Home Care and Nursing e. V.
IQH - Institute for Quality and Innovation in Home Care gGmbH (scientific support)
EFSI - European Association of Domestic Service Providers
UNI Europe European trade union federation
DOMINA Italian Family and Employers Association
ELMI - European Institute for Labor Mobility (PL)
GWU - General Workers' Union (Malta)
CSIT-UP - Independent Trade Union Coalition Spain
Solidarumas - Trade union Lithuania
SZZSZS - Health & Social Services Trade Union Serbia

Why is this important?

Curbing undeclared work - All countries experience a high proportion of illegal employment in the sector. MobilCare develops incentives and simple procedures to make legal employment cheaper and less complicated.
Close social security - People who work across borders must not be left without a pension or health insurance later on. Joint models for EU-wide protection are being evaluated and proposed.
Keeping care affordable - Improved standards must not overburden families. That is why we are analyzing funding channels and tax instruments that make care affordable AND fair.

Next steps

Spring 2025: Publication of the country reports and a first overall European evaluation
Summer 2025: National dialog workshops, online and in person
Autumn 2025: Draft EU strategy papers as a result
2026: Final congress in Krakow

Together we bring fairness and quality to home care throughout Europe!

"Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them."

Research project: Fairness and autonomy in employment relationships of home care and care for old and sick people

Participating scientists: Prof. Dr. Arne Petermann, Prof. Dr. Jürgen Stenger, BA Michael Paul and Dr. Tobias Ebbing in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Marek Benio from the University of Kraków, Poland, and Prof. Dr. Städler-Mach from the Evangelische Hochschule Nürnberg, cand BA Sandra Lühl, cand BA Henrdik Born, cand BA Phillip Stoll as well as selected students of the course Management in Healthcare Organizations at the BAGSS.

project start: February 2018

planned project completion: Phase 1: March 2020, Phase 2: July 2021

the aim of the study is to obtain information about the degree of fairness perceived by the employees who work in the outpatient care and nursing of old and sick people in Germany by means of a large number of quantitative data collection. A special focus is placed on the employees in outpatient care services as well as migrant care and support workers in the care in the home community (so-called live-ins), since these professional groups spend the majority of their working hours looking after and caring for people in need in their home use environment. The study is supported by the Association for Home Care and Care eV (VHBP) with third-party funds.
To measure fairness in employment relationships, the 4-dimensional model by Colquitt et al. 2001 and Maier et al 2007 for the empirical assessment of organizational justice. It is planned to empirically and quantitatively collect a large number of data from three target groups:
(1.) Nursing professionals
and (2.) interview nursing assistants employed by home care services.
Also surveyed are (3.) self-employed and employed caregivers, who mainly come from Central and Eastern Europe and temporarily live in the household of the person in need of care in order to provide care services in the home community (so-called "live-ins").

The study is carried out in cooperation with a large number of outpatient care services and the Association for Home Care and Care eV (VHBP). The VHBP is the largest association for service providers and placement companies for care in domestic communities in Germany.

results and publications – first results have already been published:

Petermann, A., Jolly, G., Schrader, K. (2020): Fairness and autonomy for caregivers in domestic communities - results of an empirical study, in: Städtler-Mach, B., Ignatzi, H. (eds.): Gray care market. 24-hour support by Eastern European caregivers, Göttingen, p.99-121. (link to full text download)

The publication of the complete study results should be available in Q2/2021.

Research project: Development of a survey instrument and for the implementation of a primary data survey to measure the actual working hours of employees of outpatient care services in the case of SGB V and SGB XI individual and combined services rendered in the home environment in Saarland

Participating scientists: Prof. Dr. Arne Petermann, BA Marc Rütters & BA Franziska Zwiebler as well as selected students of the Management in Healthcare Organizations course at the BAGSS.

Project start: October 2019

planned project completion: Q3/2021

The objective of the research project is to develop and test a quantitative survey instrument and to use it as part of a large-scale primary data survey in order to record the actual working time of employees in outpatient care according to services and combined services. The survey instrument is to be used in a representative empirical survey. The objective is the proper measurement of the actual personnel expenses for SGB V services provided on an outpatient basis as well as SGB V – SGB XI combined services.

The study is carried out in cooperation with the Saarland Nursing Society (SPG), which finances the research project with third-party funds, as well as in cooperation with all major non-profit and private providers of outpatient care in Saarland.

Project phase 1 (design of the survey instrument): In cooperation with members of the SPG, the relevant service complexes to be measured from SGB V and SGB XI services, as well as a selection of relevant combined services, are determined. Hypotheses are made regarding positive or negative synergy effects that could occur with certain service combinations, in order to then empirically examine them. The aim here is to quantify the most relevant synergies (or, in the negative case, the additional effort that actually arises from the combination of services in reality) in a comprehensible and convincing manner. This forms the working basis for the development of the measuring instrument, which is developed and tested for its effectiveness.

Project phase 2 (data collection): After the development of the measuring instrument, it will be put into use by scientific project staff accompanying selected outpatient care employees and recording the service complexes provided and the associated workload. In order to be able to convincingly argue the validity and transferability of the results of the sample survey to the entire Saarland, the representativeness of the sample is ensured according to scientific criteria during the survey.

Project phase 3 (data analysis and presentation of results): The data collected in this way is summarized and clearly presented in order to descriptively show the actually measured working hours per service complex. The previously defined combined services are examined for synergies or additional costs and the result is reported. The truthfulness of the hypotheses is assessed and shown on the basis of the empirical results. The result should both serve the progress of scientific knowledge in home care and be suitable for providing a basis for further practical considerations and recommendations, especially with regard to a future requirement-related remuneration structure for the services examined.

Results and publications: planned in Q3/2021

completed research projects

The job profile of caregivers in the home community: An empirical study

Participating scientists: Prof. Dr. Arne Petermann, Michael Paul, Dr. Tobias Ebbing and Dr. Nadine Adrian in collaboration with Dr. Marek Benio from the University of Kraków, Poland, and selected students of the Management in Healthcare Organizations course at the BAGSS.

Project start: May 2016

Project completion: June 2017

The aim of the study is to use a large number of quantitative data collection to describe the job profile of caregivers in the same household and to collect information about the content of the job, working hours and remuneration. The evaluation of the collected data should primarily contribute to the description of the activity profile of the caregiver in the household.

Results and publications: Peterman et al. 2017_The job profile of caregivers in the home community

The future of care in the home community (in short: VHBP study)

Participating scientists of the IQM: Prof. Dr. Arne Petermann and Dorothee Engelhorn van Mierlo in cooperation with selected students of the Management in Healthcare Organizations course at the BAGSS.

Project start: May 2015

Project completion: January 2016

The aim of the study is to use a large number of quantitative data collection to determine central future issues in the second healthcare market, especially in the market for home care and support in Germany by foreign care personnel (so-called 24-hour care). The study was commissioned by the Association for Home Care and Care eV (VHBP). Two research teams will address the following research questions as part of the study:

What are the most pressing issues and challenges for companies in the industry over the next three years?
How should the content and scope of further training courses for caregivers be designed that the VHBP could offer in the future?

Results and publications: The study results can be sent on request