[Economy and ethics in daily hospital routine - physicians in conflict between the well-being of patients and profitability].

Medical decision making is affected by different aims and influencing factors. Nowadays economic aspects are so important that they influence the structure of hospitals, the number and quality of personnel, and the treatment and care of patients. This leads to conflicts with moral aims, especially when the necessary service cannot be provided due to financial reasons or when doubtful offers are supposed to increase revenues. Examples demonstrate cases in which economic aspects become more important than patients' interests because physicians are corruptible. It is necessary to communicate values. Patients' health should be first and economy should be a subordinated service. Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart * New York.