[Flexibility of cardiologic rehabilitation exemplified by the Königsfeld (Ennepetal) model]

Cardiac rehabilitation makes it possible to reduce costs. Many of these possibilities and opportunities for optimization of costs reduction essentially result from the positive effects of an individually networked flexible rehabilitation treatment. A prerequisite is readiness of all those participating in the treatment process to cooperate. The Königsfeld (Ennepetal) model enables individual and differential shortening of cardiac rehabilitation, and in some of the patients a partial or complete outpatient/partially inpatient cardiac rehabilitation. In conjunction with more intensive postrehabilitation care for patients unable to work, this can lead to a major improvement in rehabilitation treatment using available resources without loss of quality and in particular without risk for patients. Consistently intensified postrehabilitation care entails the greatest possibilities of lowering costs, since saving of sickness benefit, reduction of sick pay, recommencement of work and above all prevention of early retirement are of particular economic advantage.