Different Prevalences of Pneumological Disease Patterns in Outpatient and Inpatient Care

Abstract

Evaluating the focus of treatment in pneumological inpatient and outpatient care is of special interest due to its impact on physician, patient and research. This work describes differences and commonalities in the focus of treatment of current pneumological inpatient and outpatient care and discusses their impact on patient, physician and research. This study compares the inpatient and outpatient sector based on the prevalence of ICD codes of a pneumological specialist clinic (5.211 cases of 2016) and the most prevalent ICD-10 codes of pneumology practices in the third quarter 2016, published by the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians North Rhine ("Kassenärztliche Vereinigung Nordrhein", 142.431 cases). Whereas the proportion of many pneumological disease patterns treated in physicians' practices and hospitals is similar, the relative frequencies of specific diseases differ considerably between the two. Treatment of allergic conditions such as allergic rhinopathy and bronchial asthma is mostly done on an outpatient basis while respiratory insufficiency and lung carcinoma constitute domains of pneumological inpatient care. Despite many commonalities in the focus of treatment in pneumological inpatient and outpatient care, there are also substantial differences between the two. These affect medical training, the conduct of clinical studies, and in particular, patient care. In order to maintain a high level of medical care in all areas of pneumology a close exchange between inpatient and outpatient sector seems crucial. In the end, the availability of medical expertise across both sectors will benefit all: physicians, patients and medical science.