[Guidelines in surgery: from the viewpoint of the advisory council]

The Advisory Council for Concerted Action in Health Care recommended 1994 to the Association of Scientific and Medical Societies in 1994 that guidelines should be established for diagnostics and treatment. The advisory council expects that the implementation of such guidelines should improve the quality of medical care. Deficits in medical care must be reduced, and unnecessary procedures eliminated. Absolute necessities must receive preferential financing from the social health insurance as compared with optional procedures. Guidelines are an intelligent alternative to undifferentiated cost reduction.