Financing gynecological oncological treatment: day-patient chemotherapy care as a cost-covering solution, with emphasis on mammary cancer

Hospitalized chemotherapy treatment of mammary cancer costs ca. 2000 DM. Th ese costs are not covered by the forms of compensation available to univers ity hospitals in Germany, namely billing treatment on a lump sum basis per outpatient case (Poliklnikpauschale) or at the inpatient flat rate per day of patient stay (Abteilungs- und Basispflegesatz). The authors propose nego tiating a cost-covering rate for day patient care with health insurance com panies as a solution. This would offer the health insurance companies savin gs on cytostatics (antitumor agents), using the resources of the hospitals' pharmacies instead of private pharmacies on a prescription basis.