[Interprofessional cooperation in home care of disabled elderly patients. Results of a model project]

As is well known from experience, physicians, nurses, and other not-medical professions in ambulant care for elder people generally do not co-operate intensively, although there are many points of contact. With regard to this situation and the growth of the group of very old people, which request the further development of geriatric medicine and rehabilitation, a research project was realized in order to build up, improve and, as far as necessary, systematize inter-professional co-operation; this process was evaluated referring to the conditions and the effects of more intensive co-operation. This project led to several agreements concerning the improvement of co-operation; especially there are indications that the elder people in question are better cared for on the basis of intensive inter-professional co-operation and that avoidable expenses can be saved.