[Complex treatments in rheumatology and geriatrics - Challenges - Differences - Chances]

With the introduction of the German diagnostic-related groups (G-DRG) system in 2003, remuneration according to DRG was also implemented for the disciplines of rheumatology and geriatrics. For acute inpatient treatment in the field of rheumatology the specialized complex rheumatological treatment (OPS code 8-983) and the related DRG-I97Z (rheumatological complex treatment for diseases and disorders of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue) were assigned to the DRG system in 2005 and 2006, respectively. The early complex geriatric rehabilitation (OPS code 8-550) is a tool in the treatment of older patients affected by rheumatism. In this article the challenges of realizing complex therapies are described using the examples of OPS code 8-983 and 8-550 and their structural and procedural differences are outlined. Acute inpatient treatment of patients severely affected by a rheumatic disease as well as of multimorbid geriatric patients with rheumatism is supported by the implementation of the respective complex therapy.