[Is there adequate care for patients with psychosomatic disorders in Austria? Analysis of the need and a proposal for a model of quality assurance in Austrian psychosomatic medicine]. / Werden in Osterreich Patienten mit psychosomatischen Storungen ausreichend versorgt? Eine Bedarfserhebung mit Losungsvorschlag zur Qualitats-sicherung fur die Psychosomatische Medizin in Osterreich.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Quality assurance in psychosomatic medicine in Austria is currently based on a voluntary continuing medical education programme in psychosocial, psychosomatic and psychotherapeutic medicine. It is questionable whether psychosomatic care can be sufficiently provided in this manner. In addition, a broadly based proposal to create a subspecialty in psychosomatic medicine in order to facilitate quality assurance, is investigated. METHODS: The necessity to reorganize psychosomatic care was explored through semi-structured qualitative interviews with experts. Data-based analyses probed the labour market of the proposed subspecialty, and the literature was reviewed to look into the cost-benefit ratio of psychosomatic treatment. RESULTS: All experts expressed a need to restructure psychosomatic care in Austria. Examples exist for psychosomatic treatment with an efficient cost-benefit relation in diverse medical settings. CONCLUSION: Establishing a subspecialty in Psychosomatic Medicine seems feasible and could contribute to increased quality assurance and the nationwide provision of psychosomatic care.