AIM: Due to the continuing increase in life expectancy, the ageing process of the German population in general and the high demands placed on activity levels and quality of life today, the demand for primary and secondary joint replacement surgery continues to increase. To distribute the economic and medical resources properly, while still making technical and surgical innovations available to a broad public, hospitals must be able to adequately finance these procedures with the help of the proper diagnosis related groups. METHOD: The development of the German DRG-system over the past years, as well as the new calculation for the year 2006 are to be reviewed and analysed in this article with this in mind. RESULTS: An improvement in the degree of differentiation between the individual procedures can be documented. CONCLUSION: Whether or not these changes will ensure the long-term financial survival of the German health care system will remain to be seen.
AIM: Due to the continuing increase in life expectancy, the ageing process of the German population in general and the high demands placed on activity levels and quality of life today, the demand for primary and secondary joint replacement surgery continues to increase. To distribute the economic and medical resources properly, while still making technical and surgical innovations available to a broad public, hospitals must be able to adequately finance these procedures with the help of the proper diagnosis related groups. METHOD: The development of the German DRG-system over the past years, as well as the new calculation for the year 2006 are to be reviewed and analysed in this article with this in mind. RESULTS: An improvement in the degree of differentiation between the individual procedures can be documented. CONCLUSION: Whether or not these changes will ensure the long-term financial survival of the German health care system will remain to be seen.