[The objectives, failures and new ways in hospital aftercare and rehabilitation]

One of the main aims of oncological aftercare is to improve the transition from acute into chronic medicine, i.e. from curative into rehabilitative treatment. The somatic, psychic, social, professional, and family problems due to the tumour and its therapy have to be eliminated, improved or prevented. Up to now, oncological rehabilitation often was considered an isolated measure. The lack of cooperation between curative and rehabilitative medicine often resulted in the fact that patients in need of aftercare were not sent to appropriate rehabilitation clinics. There was no feed-back between pre- and after-treating doctors. The recommendations of the commission for further development of rehabilitation in the social insurance (VDR), elaborated together with the study-group for rehabilitation and aftercare and the study-group for the protection of the quality standard in oncology, aim at improving the above mentioned target. Active and forward-looking measures should improve the significance of clinical aftercare. The documentation of rehabilitation needs will allow more differentiated rehabilitation measures and long-term evaluation of their success. For a more effective integration of rehabilitative aspects into primary treatment, there is the demand for a closer cooperation between primary care and aftercare.