[Verifying routine preoperative diagnosis between private practice and the surgical university clinic]. / Abstimmung der präoperativen Routinediagnostik zwischen niedergelassener Praxis und Chirurgischer Universitätsklinik.

In an attempt to shorten the preoperative in-patient period and to avoid unnecessary investigations, a cooperative patient management model was established for a number of surgical operations at the University Department of Surgery, Anaesthesiology and their referring Specialist and General Practitioners. The latter were requested to carry out the previously defined preoperative routine investigations, which allowed for a marked reduction in hospital diagnostics. Ambulatory preoperative patient management and a new admission routine resulted in a 57% decrease of the average preoperative in-patient stay for the observed procedures.

Protecting assets during catastrophic illness through financial planning: the physician's role.

Patients requiring long-term institutional care face major financial dislocations that affect their families as well. While the issue of who should pay for long-term care, society or the individual, is still unsolved and controversial, lawyers specializing in welfare law can assist individuals in obtaining public entitlements and preserving private assets. Public awareness of such planning services is uneven. Physicians can make an important contribution to the welfare of their patients who are at risk by informing them of such services and of the problems they seek to address.