title: [Clinical pathways. A useful steering instrument or a limitation for medical treatment?].
abstract: Clinical pathways can be used to organize the optimal sequence for medical procedures. This process is patient centered and developed through the collaborative work of the participating medical specialties. The goals of clinical pathways are facilitation of outcomes, reduction of variance in patient care and cost containment. Clinical pathways can be used for patient information, internal and external transparency and in total quality management. The management of medical organisations can be supported by introducing the data from clinical pathways into prospective clinical and financial control.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Orthopädie, Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus,Technische Universität, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden. stephan.kirschner@uniklinikum-dresden.de
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kirschner
authors.forename: W-C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Witzleb
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eberlein-Gonska
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Krummenauer
authors.forename: K-P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Günther
mesh_terms: D003363:Cost Control; D019091:Critical Pathways / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004282:Documentation; D006751:Hospital Information Systems; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D017749:Total Quality Management