From applied psychosomatic medicine to integrated medicine - experiences with the Steglitz allocated bed model

Abstract

Changes in the German hospital system like the introduction of the DRG compensation system suggest the usefulness of considering the modification of inpatient psychosomatic treatment options. Patients in a university hospital underwent diagnosis-related psychosomatic treatment in the wards of other departments after instituting the allocated bed model. The report presented here points out chances and risks of such a change. First psychodiagnostic assessments indicate a significant improvement of symptoms in these patients. Despite the overall positive result obtained thus far, the institutional and administrative framework conditions for such a change should be carefully considered and further evaluated.