[Health care reform 2000--effects on inpatient care]

The health reform 2000 in Germany has little impact on the structural deficits of the German health service. The monopolies of hospitals for inpatient and of contract doctors for outpatient care are not changed. The budgeting of hospitals remains. In future there will be a catalog of operations that may only be carried out on an outpatient basis. The duty for quality assurance is specified and intensified. Implementation of innovative medical treatments in hospital will to be done only under strict control of a new countrywide committee. A new DRG-based price system for hospitals will be established.