[Empirical determination of the need for rehabilitation]

In Germany, members of social insurance (e.g., pension) schemes have to apply for medical rehabilitation. Usually, the applications are the expression of a subjective demand. If the applications are granted this leads to the actual supply of medical rehabilitation services. Formerly, long waiting lists were common. These have been replaced by a new balance between demand (amount of applications), "offer" (capacity of rehabilitation clinics) and the amount of granted applications. In addition to these notions, the article develops the concept of need for rehabilitation services based on sociomedical indications. Consequently, the need for medical rehabilitation can--to a certain degree--be objectified. The concept of need should not be mixed up with that of demand: not every member of a social insurance scheme who objectively is in need of medical rehabilitation realizes the need, not everybody who realizes a need will apply for rehabilitation, and not all applications will be granted. The article gives an overview of different ways of needs assessment.