Kriterien für die Notwendigkeit und Dauer von Krankenhausbehandlung bei Koronarangiografien und ‑interventionen

Coronary angiographies and percutaneous coronary interventions are very frequently performed cardiological procedures. With regard to reimbursement, there are often conflicts between health care providers and health insurance companies concerning questions as to whether an in-hospital treatment was necessary at all (primary misallocation) and whether its duration was adequate (secondary misallocation). Therefore, the German Cardiac Society and the Medical Advisory Board of the Statutory Health Insurance in consensus set up a list of preferred evidence-based medical criteria as a guideline for advance planning of a hospital admission but also for retrospectively evaluating its necessity. However, a limited list of criteria as presented here can never summarize the complete medical variety. In consequence, there was broad consensus that apart from reimbursement concerns the decision about type and duration of any medical treatment remain unequivocally with the treating physician and at his discretion.