RESUMEN
Only a few years after the implementation of the G-DRG (German Diagnosis Related Group) system physicians already began to complain of its negative effects on the quality of inpatient healthcare. The present study examines the recent experiences senior physicians have made with regard to the impact of the G-DRG system on the quality of healthcare and medical professionalism. Nine qualitative guided expert interviews were conducted focusing on the experiences of physicians in leading positions dealing with the G-DRG system in their everyday work. The interviewees report an intensification of work attributable to an increasing number of inpatient cases, a more lenient definition of medical indications and a reduction in patient retention time. The physicians interviewed have felt increasingly constrained by economic conditions. Additionally, they stated that the G-DRG system's incentive structure encourages the discrimination of older, care-dependent and multimorbid patients. Possible countermeasures include a political revision of incentive regulation as well as a strengthening of up-to-date professional ethical education and teaching.