1. [Relevance of surgical outpatient clinics in academic university centers to health care in Germany].
- Author
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Kraus T, Zenner J, Mieth M, V Frankenberg M, Mehrabi A, Schemmer P, Gudera M, Prieffler A, Buhl K, and Büchler MW
- Subjects
- Academic Medical Centers economics, Academic Medical Centers legislation & jurisprudence, Ambulatory Surgical Procedures economics, Ambulatory Surgical Procedures legislation & jurisprudence, Circadian Rhythm, Cost Savings legislation & jurisprudence, Cost-Benefit Analysis, Delivery of Health Care, Integrated economics, Delivery of Health Care, Integrated legislation & jurisprudence, Delivery of Health Care, Integrated statistics & numerical data, Episode of Care, Germany, Health Care Reform economics, Health Care Reform legislation & jurisprudence, National Health Programs economics, National Health Programs legislation & jurisprudence, Quality Assurance, Health Care economics, Quality Assurance, Health Care legislation & jurisprudence, Quality Assurance, Health Care statistics & numerical data, Resource Allocation economics, Resource Allocation legislation & jurisprudence, Resource Allocation statistics & numerical data, Specialties, Surgical economics, Specialties, Surgical legislation & jurisprudence, Specialties, Surgical statistics & numerical data, Utilization Review statistics & numerical data, Workload statistics & numerical data, Academic Medical Centers statistics & numerical data, Ambulatory Surgical Procedures statistics & numerical data, Health Care Reform statistics & numerical data, National Health Programs statistics & numerical data
- Abstract
During the observation period between 2001 and 2003, all outpatient surgical therapy, including degrees of urgency, surgical care volume, regional provenance of patients, diagnoses, and referral channels were prospectively analysed at the Surgical Department of the University of Heidelberg, Germany. The data gathered do not merely describe the volume and characteristics of care encountered at this academic surgical institution but also provide further insight into the variability of resource utilisation and associated patient flow. Additionally, a retrospective evaluation using structured interviews and questionnaires was performed to differentiate and quantify patient care, teaching, and research activities. This study illustrates the high relevance of academic outpatient institutions to regional provision of general surgical care in Germany. There is a clear dominance of medical support functions, while research and teaching activities are of only minor relevance and realised particularly in subspecialty clinics. These data should give important stimuli for the future planning of health care in Germany. Outpatient clinics for general surgery appear to be an excellent basis for regional models of integrated health care delivery in the future.
- Published
- 2005
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