[The new treatment procedures of the DGUV from the perspective of an injury type procedure (VAV) clinic]. / Die neuen Heilverfahren der DGUV aus der Sicht einer VAV-Klinik.

The new treatment procedures of the German Statutory Accident Insurance (DGUV) have ramifications for the injury type procedure clinics (VAV) from medical, economic and structural aspects. Whereas the latter can be assessed as positive, the medical and economical aspects are perceived as being negative. Problems arise from the partially unclear formulation of the injury type catalogue, which results in unpleasant negotiations with the occupational insurance associations with respect to financial remuneration for services rendered. Furthermore, the medical competence of the VAV clinics will be reduced by the preset specifications of the VAV catalogue, which opens up an additional field of tension between medical treatment, fulfillment of the obligatory training and acquisition of personnel as well as the continually increasing economic pressure. From the perspective of the author, the relinquence of medical competence imposed by the regulations of the new VAV catalogue is "throwing the baby out with the bathwater" because many VAV clinics nationwide also partially have competence in the severe injury type procedure (SAV). A concrete "competence-based approval" for the individual areas of the VAV procedure would be sensible and would maintain the comprehensive care of insured persons and also increase or strengthen the willingness of participating VAV hospitals for unconditional implementation of the new VAV procedure.

Atrial fibrillation increases medical cost and complicates hospital outcome of traffic accident-related physical trauma--a nationwide population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Traffic accidents account substantially for premature disability and deaths in the modern world. Whether atrial fibrillation complicates the outcome of traffic injury remains under-investigated. METHODS: From 1998 to 2010, all inpatient records stored in the Taiwan National Health Insurance database were screened. Those related with traffic accidents were aggregated to individuals and enrolled. The medical expenses and hospital outcomes were compared between patients with atrial fibrillation (AF group) and either the rest patients (No-AF group) or the propensity-matched patients without atrial fibrillation (No-AF-matched group). Prognostic predictive variables for adverse in-hospital events were further identified by multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: Within the 13-year time span, of the 776,620 individuals ever admitted for traffic accidents, there were 1233 patients with AF. Compared with No-AF and No-AF-matched groups respectively, AF patients stayed longer in hospital (10.9 ± 10.6 vs. 6.8 ± 7.2 and vs. 8.2 ± 8.7 days, both p < 0.001), more often required surgical operations (73.2% vs. 69.5%, p = 0.006 and vs. 68.9%, p = 0.021), and consumed larger medical expenses (US$ 2384 ± 3174 vs. 1246 ± 2024, or 91.3% higher; and vs. 1406 ± 2172, or 69.6% higher, both p < 0.001), yet developed more postoperative complications (8.8% vs. 1.2% and vs. 3.2%, both p<0.001) and deaths (2.5% vs. 0.9%, p < 0.001 and vs. 1.6%, p = 0.015). Identified by regression analysis, CHA2DS2-VASC score and representative demographic/injury-related variables predict in-hospital adverse events in these AF group patients. CONCLUSIONS: For patients suffering traffic accidents, those with AF consume more surgical resources and medical expenses yet end up with poorer hospital outcome, especially those with higher CHA2DS2-VASC scores and other relevant variables.

[Quality of life after multiple trauma]. / Lebensqualität nach Polytrauma.

BACKGROUND: Multiple trauma is an independent injury pattern which, because of its complexity, is responsible for 25 % of the costs for the treatment of all injured patients. Because of the often long-lasting physical impairment and the high incidence of residual permanent handicaps, it is apparent that multiple trauma can lead to a reduction in patient quality of life. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to give an overview of the known data concerning the change in quality of life for multiple trauma patients. Furthermore, predictors for the reduction of quality of life after multiple trauma will be identified. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A MedLine search was performed to identify studies dealing with the outcome after multiple trauma. RESULTS: In addition to functional outcome parameters, the term quality of life has become more important in recent years when it comes to evaluating the outcome following injury. While the mortality after multiple trauma could be significantly reduced over the years, there is no comparable effect on the quality of life. Predictors for a worse quality of life after multiple trauma are female gender, high age, low social status, concomitant head injuries and injury to the lower extremities. CONCLUSION: The fact that mortality after multiple trauma has decreased but not impairment of the quality of life makes it clear that in addition to the acute medical treatment, a follow-up treatment including not only physiotherapy but also psychotherapy is crucial for multiple trauma patients.

[Sequelae of severe injuries : consequences for trauma rehabilitation]. / Unfallfolgen nach schweren Verletzungen : Konsequenzen für die Trauma-Rehabilitation.

Consequences of accidents are found not only in physical but also in psychological and social areas. The quality of life of severely injured patients is significantly reduced compared with the normal population even years after the trauma. Subjective experiences of severely injured patients during and after hospitalization have a major impact on the subsequent quality of life. Knowledge of these factors is essential for the planning, organization and implementation of rehabilitation after severe injury. The phase model of rehabilitation after trauma requires early initiation of therapy even during acute treatment as so-called early rehabilitation. After a specialized post-acute rehabilitation additional therapeutic options are often required. Besides pain management the focus lies especially in work-related rehabilitation and psychological support which is also decisive for the success of rehabilitation of accident victims. For severely injured patients it is important to provide sufficient support, e.g. through a case manager which does not end with discharge from the rehabilitation facility. The aim of all efforts is reintegration into the working and social environment and the best possible quality of life.

[Emergency care and treatment costs of polytrauma patients]. / Erstversorgungs- und Behandlungskosten polytraumatisierter Patienten.

Treatment costs of emergency therapy, surgery and intensive care were analysed in 20 randomly chosen, representative patients with severe multiple trauma (mean ISS 32 p). For an average stay of about 22.5 days on ICU, the total costs were DM 106924.36 (about 70,000 US $). DM 39,635.88 (= 37%) were the costs for physicians and nurses; DM 67,289.08 (= 63%) were needed for materials, X-rays, laboratory investigations, drugs and blood components. The whole treatment caused daily costs of DM 4752.22 or DM 3.30/min. The first emergency diagnostic procedures and emergency therapy take a mean time of 451.9 min from admission to the beginning of the ICU treatment and by itself already generates costs of about DM 12325.99. In Germany, a new way of compensation by a diagnosis-related group was introduced in 1996. These data suggest that treatment of severe multiple trauma is very expensive and trauma care could be economically harmful for smaller hospitals. We conclude that treatment of multiply injured patients (ISS > 16 p) should be compensated for by a special daily amount of about DM 5000 (about 3500 US $) for selected trauma centres.