[Ambulatory care in Germany--orientation towards community care?]

In the German healthcare system, two major trends contribute to the growing need for ambulatory care. One is the demographic increase of the older population; the other is the growing preponderance of chronic diseases. The required services often surpass the human resources of the family and ask for professional nursing service. The combination of lay caregiving and professional work is a necessary growing phenomenon that calls for new concepts in home care. In this perspective the idea of the so called "Sozialstation" (social center), which started their work in 1970, is an interesting concept towards more systematic planning and interdisciplinary cooperation and reversing the trend towards hospitalization. This literature-based article looks critically at accomplishments and limitations of Sozialstationen.