[Survival strategy of burn centers in the context of the German DRG system: reimbursement].

Background: The system of German diagnosis-related groups (G-DRG) has undergone modifications for burn cases (Y-DRG) since 2003. The DRG catalog includes two of seven Y-DRGs without a case weight.
Methods: The BG Trauma Center in Ludwigshafen could demonstrate that the cost of burn care treatment could not be reimbursed through Y-DRGs in 2004.
Results: By being accredited as a so-called "individual hospital-based unit" for burn care (Besondere Einrichtung), it was possible to agree to an "all-inclusive" contract. The daily rate is reimbursed with 2792 Euros/day. The reimbursement of the treatment of burn patients is thus cost covering.
Conclusion: In summary the budget for 2006 should be calculated by an individualized hospital rate for all Y-DRGs, especially as it was shown that the additional payments (Zusatzentgelte) for selected therapies did not cover the costs of special treatments in burn care in 2005 and 2006. The problem has been recognized and published internationally. The special and cost-intensive treatment of burn patients is difficult to calculate in a system of diagnosis-related groups due to the low number of cases.