[Optimizing health care using the example of rehabilitation. Intended goals have to be defined and achieved goals have to be confirmed].

In this article, the authors try to apply the actual problem of health care financing to the area of rehabilitation medicine. It is shown that there are considerable reserves in this system - like in any other area of health care -, which should not be saved but should be rather transformed into efficient health services. If we save these resources, the problems will remain the same but it will be easier to pay for them. If, however, we consider how to generate additional health care values, we will solve more problems than before.The article shows that these improvements require a clear definition of goals of health care. Goals of health care can be attained only if they are defined, and the conditions which have to be met for goal attainment can be identified only if the attained goals are quantified. There is need for action if it is unknown how often intended goals can really be attained.