The possible impact of the German DRGs reimbursement system on end-of-life decision making in a surgical intensive care unit.

Background: More than 70 % of critically ill patients die in intensive care units (ICUs) after treatment is reduced. End-of-life decision making in the ICU is a grey area that varies in practice, and there are potential economic consequences of over- and under-treatment. The aim of this study was to describe the end-of-life decisions of critically ill patients in a surgical ICU in Germany and to identify how financial incentives may influence decision making.

The search for good compliance: economic aspects of a conveyed combination pharmaco-therapy, exemplified by an osteoporosis therapy.

The discussion of adequate compliance in health care often refers to a lack of information between patients and physicians. In our setting, we show that contract arrangements as well as the distribution of information are important for an adequate alignment of the interest of patients and physicians. The analysis emphasises the benefit of organised pharmaco-therapy enhancing the concomitant compliance.

[Disease management from the economic point of view].

The introduction of disease management programs for chronic diseases aims to achieve a permanent improvement of care. Such an improvement cannot be reached without effective incentives. However, the incentives set in the German Health Care System may cause reactions on the micro level that do not correspond to the aims on the macro level.