Considerations for the Performance and Quality Assurance of Outpatient Surgery in Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery in Germany

Abstract

German health policy has propagated an expansion of outpatient surgeries and procedures and initiated the discussion about this. Otorhinolaryngology, head and neck surgery offers opportunities to provide currently inpatient procedures on an outpatient basis. The German Society of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, and the German Professional Association of Otorhinolaryngologists established working groups to assess and evaluate the ENT-specific aspects of shifting services to the outpatient setting. The working groups were given the task of developing and considering organizational, structural and personnel definitions of quality assurance. Facts were determined in detail, which exclude an ambulatory operation in the ENT-specialty. This was based on both surgery-related and patient-related facts. Finally, operations were named which can be performed as outpatient operations. An evaluation was performed from the ENT specialist's perspective. A prerequisite for outpatient treatment is a reorganization of remuneration. The current DRG and EBM system do not provide a satisfactory framework for this, and the EBM does not allow for the economic provision of surgical interventions in otorhinolaryngology, head and neck surgery. The development of an appropriate financing model is as imperative for a successful implementation as the integration and financing of further training of ENT physicians.