Diagnosis-related groups in psychiatry and psychotherapeutic medicine the significance of a prospective payment system

Diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) as a basis for funding will be introduced in Germany in 2003 with exemption for Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine. Overall, DRGs have proven to be poor predictors of resource consumption and therefore could lead to financial harms for psychiatric or psychotherapeutic facilities. Beneath these risks, a DRG-System could be a strong incentive for further development and implementation Of treatment standards. Furthermore an exemption of a DRG-System could trigger the isolation of Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine in the medical field of acute care. Therefore DRGs should be regarded as a major challenge to strengthen the importance of the treatment of psychic disorders.