Abstract
The German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (GSTCVS) regards 250 operations on patients with congenital heart disease per institution as an optimal number (Thorac Cardiov Surg 2006; 54: 73 - 77). In addition, all German institutions ought to participate unequivocally on data transfer to the European Association for Cardiothoracic Surgery. However, these "optimal German structures" need to be translated into action now. It will have to be the GSTCVS to ask for a hearing at the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) (www.g-ba.de). This medical self-governing body, formed from the national associations of doctors and dentists, the German Hospital Federation and the health insurance funds, gives concrete definition to the legal requirements and implements them. Recently, the Federal Joint Committee released concrete measures for the care of newborns (Press release 21. 9. 2005, section sign 91 Abs. 7 SGB V). The obvious thing to do now would be considering measures for care of patients with congenital heart disease. We conclude, that whereas treatment and results should be further improved by quality control and quality transparency, structures of institutions involved in the care of patients with congenital heart disease can only be implemented by the Federal Joint Committee.
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