[The significance of the principal diagnosis in Germany's new payment system for inpatient treatment of mental disorders]. / Die Bedeutung der Hauptdiagnose im Pauschalierenden Entgeltssystem Psychiatrie Psychosomatik (PEPP) - Bedeutung und Konsequenzen.

In 2013 Germany implemented a new payment system for the inpatient treatment of mental disorders. Besides perpetuating a per-diem payment, the payment system sets up a classification system that groups cases with comparable costs per diem. The first release of the system reveals the principal diagnosis to be the main grouping variable. Especially in psychosomatic and psychotherapy this approach seems to be at least questionable. Because of the insufficiently precise definition of the assignment of the principal diagnosis in the coding standards - and therefore the expected conflicts between clinics and health insurance funds - this paper discusses the difficulties involved in defining the principal diagnosis. It also formulates recommendations of how the principal diagnosis should be assigned.

Principles of psychosomatic assessment.

There is increasing awareness of the limitations of disease as the primary focus of medical care. It is not that certain disorders lack an organic explanation, but that our assessment is inadequate in most clinical encounters. The primary goal of psychosomatic medicine is to correct this inadequacy by incorporation of its operational strategies into clinical practice. At present, the research evidence which has accumulated in psychosomatic medicine offers unprecedented opportunities for the identification and treatment of medical problems. Taking full advantage of clinimetric methods (such as with the use of Emmelkamp's two levels of functional analysis and the Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research) may greatly improve the clinical process, including shared-decision making and self-management. Endorsement of the psychosomatic perspective may better clarify the pathophysiological links and mechanisms underlying symptom presentation. Pointing to individually targeted methods may improve final outcomes and quality of life.

Psychosomatic assessment.

The primary goal of psychosomatic medicine is the incorporation of its operational strategies into clinical practice. The traditional attitude toward disease and the functional/organic dichotomy were criticized by George Engel in the early sixties. Only recently, however, there has been increasing awareness of the limitations of disease as the primary focus of medical care. It is not that certain disorders lack an organic explanation; it is our assessment that is inadequate in most clinical encounters. The research evidence which has accumulated in psychosomatic medicine offers unprecedented opportunities for the identification and treatment of medical problems. Taking full advantage of clinimetric methods (such as the use of Emmelkamp's two levels of functional analysis and the Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research) may greatly improve the clinical process, including shared decision making and self-management. Endorsement of the psychosomatic perspective may better clarify the pathophysiological links and mechanisms underlying symptom presentation. Pointing to individually targeted methods may improve final outcomes and quality of life.

Development of a new assessment strategy in psychosomatic medicine: the diagnostic criteria for psychosomatic research.

The Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research (DCPR) are a diagnostic and conceptual framework that was proposed a decade ago by an international group of investigators. The DCPR's rationale was to translate psychosocial variables that derived from psychosomatic research into operational tools whereby individual patients could be identified. A set of 12 syndromes was developed: health anxiety, thanatophobia, disease phobia, illness denial, persistent somatization, conversion symptoms, functional somatic symptoms secondary to a psychiatric disorder, anniversary reaction, demoralization, irritable mood, type A behavior, and alexithymia. These criteria were meant to be used in a multiaxial approach. The aim of this work is to survey the research evidence which has accumulated on the DCPR, to provide specification for their development and validation and to examine the specific DCPR clusters. Their implications for classification purposes (DSM-V) are also discussed.

[Medical assessment of psychosomatic illnesses in the field of short-term disability compensation insurance: advantages of a multidimensional structured guideline]. / Begutachtung von psychosomatischen Erkrankungen in der Krankentagegeld- versicherung: Vorteile eines multidimensionalen Begutachtungsleitfadens.

The aim of the medical report in the area of short-term disability claims caused by psychological and psychosomatic disorders is to make a valid prognosis on the further development of absenteeism and/or to estimate the return-to-work probability of the claimant. An analysis of the current practice of determining the validity of claims caused by psychosomatic illnesses shows that it is inadequate and unsatisfactory, mainly as a result of its reliance on a cross-sectional based judgement. The authors present a structured guideline (Multi-Axial-Psychodiagnostic for short-term disability claims, MAP-KTG), which supports, via a multi-dimensional diagnosis process, the validation of the psychological and psychosomatic symptoms of the claimant. It is also used to assess the amount of functional disability with a higher degree of accuracy. The determination of the prognosis, with regard to future work prospects, can be obtained by applying a list of empirically generated variables proven to be associated with the return-to-work probability.

[So-called complex ego-functions, psychic cross findings and valuation of efficiency in medical expert assessment of psychogenic diseases]. / So genannte komplexe Ich-funktionen, psychischer Querschnittsbefund und Einschätzung des Leistungsvermögens in der Begutachtung psychogener Erkrankungen (I).

Medical expert assessment of a disease-induced disability requires the integrative examination of own and outside anamnestic data, file content and psychic cross-findings received in the assessment interview, if necessary completed by results of psychologic testing. The measure of disability with regard to psychogenic diseases is the impairment of the so-called complex ego-functions because they make it possible to judge someone's will which is available to overcome his inhibitions concerning achievement. This case report describes how to determine and present an impairment of complex ego-functions on the finding level. It is the author's view that it is desirable to operationalise this way of receiving findings with the aim of achieving obligatory criteria for granting payment to every insured person.

[Early pensioning: reasons and sequelae. A retrospective study of prognosis in early pensioning and course of illness subsequent to premature retirement]. / Frühberentung: Bedingung und Folgen. Eine retrospektive Untersuchung zur Prognostik der Frührente und dem Krankheitsverlauf nach vorzeitiger Berentung.

The aim of the present study was to identify factors at the beginning of inpatient rehabilitation for musculoskeletal diseases, predicting the employment state as early retiree or employed person 5 years after discharge. Of the cases, 88.7% could be correctly classified by logistic regression through "results of radiological imaging procedures," "duration of sick leave," and "wish for social compensation." Another objective was investigation of the influence of retirement on development of complaints. Early retirees were compared retrospectively to working persons 5 years after discharge with regard to development of main symptoms and well-being, considering the initial reason for social compensation. Early retirees with clinical reason for early retirement showed no marked changes, whereas patients who continued to work improved significantly in the long run. Results are discussed in relation to their socioeconomic implications.

Assessment of psychological distress in the setting of medical disease.

The biopsychosocial model of disease has recently been depicted as the basis for a renewed emphasis on the multiaxial diagnostic system of the DSM-IV. The authors challenge this stance, underscoring the clinical inadequacies of the DSM-IV in the setting of medical disease, particularly the chapters concerned with somatoform disorders and psychological factors affecting medical conditions. Diagnostic criteria which are based on the clinical insights derived from psychosomatic research in the past decades may offer new opportunities to psychosomatic medicine and consultation-liaison psychiatry. The development of the Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research (DCPR), encompassing alexithymia, type A behavior, irritable mood, demoralization, disease phobia, thanatophobia, health anxiety, illness denial, functional somatic symptoms secondary to a psychiatric disorder, persistent somatization, conversion symptoms and anniversary reaction, is described. Preliminary results obtained with the combination of DSM and DCPR criteria appear to be promising.

Assessment of patients by DSM-III-R and DSM-IV in a Japanese psychosomatic clinic.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical features of psychosomatic disorders in Japan. METHODS: A total of 1,432 outpatients (515 males and 917 females; 9-95 years of age, mean age 36) attending a psychosomatic clinic for the first time were assessed by the DSM-III-R or DSM-IV semistructured interview. RESULTS: Major ICD-10 diagnoses found were eating disorder, other anxiety disorders, autonomic nervous dysfunction, somatoform disorders, and irritable bowel syndrome. The most frequent diagnosis on the DSM-III-R and DSM-IV axis I was 'somatoform disorders not otherwise specified', followed by bulimia nervosa, 'depressive disorder not otherwise specified', anorexia nervosa, conversion disorder, major depression or depressive disorder, 'panic disorder with agoraphobia', and 'psychological factors affecting physical or medical condition'. On axis II, 11-17% of the patients met the criteria for personality disorder. On axis IV, 78-80% had mild or moderate psychosocial stress; major psychosocial and environmental problems classified by the DSM-IV were the problems with primary supports and occupation. CONCLUSIONS: The results seem to reinforce the belief that the diagnoses on the DSM-III-R and DSM-IV axis I are inadequate for describing psychosomatic phenomena. A new diagnostic system in combination with the multidimensional assessments by the DSM-III-R and DSM-IV is needed to form the common guidelines of diagnoses and therapies in psychosomatic medicine.

Psychosocial and behavioral assessment of patients with temporomandibular disorders: diagnostic and treatment implications.

The literature on chronic pain reveals that several psychosocial and behavioral factors, in addition to physical pathology, play a role in reports of pain and disability. Therefore it is important to assess patients more broadly rather than focus exclusively on physical pathology. Understanding and treatment of temporomandibular disorders has been impeded by the lack of agreement on a classification system with which to make a differential diagnosis. Research supports the appropriateness of a dual-diagnostic approach for temporomandibular disorders based on physical and psychological axes. Treatment should be directed toward the physical diagnoses supplemented by treatment that targets relevant psychosocial characteristics. This approach encourages diagnosticians to think in terms of the two relevant axes and to customize treatment to physical and psychosocial characteristics and thus should foster better outcomes.

[Subgroups of torticollis spasmodicus from the psychosomatic viewpoint. Results of a cluster analysis of 144 cases. German Study Group of Dystonia Research]. / Subgruppen bei Torticollis spasmodicus aus psychosomatischer Sicht. Ergebnisse einer Clusteranalyse von 144 Fällen. Deutsche Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Dystonieforschung.

The question of subgroups in idiopathic spasmodic torticollis, which has been discussed in earlier studies in order to define etiologically heterogeneous patient populations has lost some of its relevance since with the injection of botulinum toxin an effective treatment is available. However, psychosocial distress is linked with spasmodic torticollis in a substantial number of patients. In order to define criteria for psychosocial interventions in addition to the treatment with botulinum toxin, a cluster analysis was carried out to identify high-risk populations in terms of psychological and social distress. Five subgroups were defined on the basis of eight variables. Two of these five groups, one group with rotational torticollis and one with laterocollis, emerged as particularly distressed by their physical complaints, the effects of their illness on various areas of life and in terms of psychological functioning. The consistency of the subgroups was tested and statistically confirmed by analysis of variance. In a cross-validation 83.02% of the ungrouped cases were predicted correctly. The authors suggest that the evaluation of psychological and social aspects of the condition should be part of the neurological assessment in order to offer appropriate support to patients, who reveal a high degree of psychological distress.

Global assessment of functioning. A modified scale.

The modified Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale has more detailed criteria and a more structured scoring system than the original GAF. The two scales were compared for reliability and validity. Raters who had different training levels assigned hospital admission and discharge GAF scores from patient charts. Intraclass correlation coefficients for admission GAF scores were higher for raters who used the modified GAF (0.81), compared with raters who used the original GAF (0.62). Validity studies showed a high correlation (0.80) between the two sets of scores. The modified GAF also correlated well with Zung Depression scores (-0.73). The modified GAF may be particularly useful when interrater reliability needs to be maximum and/or when persons with varying skills and employment backgrounds--and without much GAF training--must rate patients. Because of the increased structure, the modified GAF may also be more resistant to rater bias.

[Occupational diseases of the "spine"--guidelines for expert assessment]. / Die Berufskrankheiten "Wirbelsäule"--Leitfaden zur Begutachtung.

Until now there has been no definition of a typical job-related back injury. During the examination the only possibility was to separate all recognizable non-job-influenced injuries from the diagnosis, through which a step-by-step, logically organized progression was proven in practice. If the professional hypothetical claims are fulfilled, then the remaining disability is the outcome of job stress and can so be evaluated. The clinical-functional and neurological evidence delivers a conclusive evaluation in percentages that can be attuned without difficulty to verified standards of traumatic spinal assessment.