Inpatient care for skin diseases in Germany: multi-source analysis on the current and future health care needs.

BACKGROUND: In Germany, skin diseases are mainly treated in the 115 dermatological hospitals. METHODS: Health care and health economic analysis of dermatological inpatient care and prediction of future care needs based on primary and secondary data. RESULTS: Outpatient and inpatient care for dermatologic treatment indications is predominantly provided by dermatology specialists. Inpatient treatment was provided for 833,491 cases in 2018, corresponding to 4.21 % of all inpatient cases (19,808,687). Most common treatment cases were: epithelial skin cancer (total 87,386, of which dermatology clinics 52,608), followed by melanoma (23,917/17,774), psoriasis (19,291/13,352), erysipelas (73,337/11,260), other dermatitis (12,671/10,842), atopic dermatitis (AD) (11,421/9,734), and herpes zoster (26,249/9,652). With an average length of stay of 5.69 days, dermatology hospitals were in the bottom third. The proportion of inpatient indications cared for in dermatology hospitals was highest for prurigo (95.2 %), pemphigus (94.9 %), parapsoriasis (94.6 %), pemphigoid (90.3 %), eczema other than AD (85.6 %), and AD (85.2 %). While the total number of inpatient treatment cases in Germany has increased by an average of 17.5 % between 2000 and 2018, this is the case for 26.6 % of skin diseases and over 150 % for individual ones. The projection of current to future inpatient care suggests a continued high demand for inpatient care by dermatology hospitals. CONCLUSION: Inpatient dermatological care will continue to be an indispensable component of qualified, socially necessary care in Germany.

S2k Guidelines for Cutaneous Basal Cell Carcinoma - Part 2: Treatment, Prevention and Follow-up.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common malignant tumor among fair-skinned individuals, and its incidence had been steadily rising in the past decades. In order to maintain the highest quality of patient care possible, the German S2k guidelines were updated following a systematic literature search and with the participation of all professional societies and associations involved in the management of the disease. Part 2 addresses issues such as proper risk stratification, the various therapeutic approaches, and prevention as well as follow-up of patients with basal cell carcinoma.