Interdisciplinarity in German academic Plastic Surgery - irrelevant or forward-looking?

Abstract

Plastic and Reconstructive surgery is able to treat patients from head to toe, whereby it can preserve, reform or reconstruct anatomically functional or aesthetic unions. This kind of expertise is appreciated by other medical specialties and is part of high performance medicine in most university clinics. However the standing of academic Plastic Surgery is particularly difficult. In this study we highlight the academic and clinical interdisciplinarity of German academic Plastic Surgery. By creating a questionnaire we evaluated educational assignments of academic Plastic Surgery and its interdisciplinary surgical performance at German university hospitals. In 12 of 36 university hospitals there is no kind of Plastic Surgery established. There are 11 university clinics, 5 departments, 4 sections and 4 consultants with Plastic Surgery expertise. 13 university centers took part of investigation. All of them are integrated in the educational curriculum with high discrepancy (2-12 hours per semester). Discrepancy seems not to be affect by clinic independence or team size. 10 of 13 university center wants to augment educational efforts. In 2015 participating 13 university hospitals treated 1476 interdisciplinary patients. In 1165 cases there was no invoicing of services. Plastic Surgery is an integral part of high performance medicine, e. g. in traumatological, oncologic or infectious cases. The complex reconstructive procedures are completing successful therapy of other specialties. Missing of invoice these services limits the development of academic Plastic Surgery.In 12 of 36 university hospitals exists no kind of Plastic Surgery. Moreover Plastic Surgery is no integral part in university education order defined by the medical approbation order (ÄApprO). However integration of Plastic Surgery with its interdisciplinary responsibility in the common university curriculum will be a forward looking appreciation of Plastic Surgery.