[Trauma surgery 2020. Developments in the past--challenges and perspectives for the future. I: Trauma surgery...

In germany over 5 million individuals are involved in an accident annually. The economical consequences are huge with direct treatment cost amounting to approx. 72 billion marks. The available data indicates an increase in the incidence of overall trauma and trauma cases treated in specialised trauma departments. An identical development can be documented for severe trauma, especially for for fractures of the spinal column, whereas the incidence of automobile and occupational accidents has declined in recent years. The current system of reimbursement in the treatment of severely traumatized patients is deficitary for trauma departments. Therefore, to avoid a reduction in the standard of care, new methods of reimbursement have to be devised. In a limited financial environment the benefit of high level trauma care for the individual and the society has to be demonstrated with adequate public relations.