The future of sociomedicine from practical point of view

Within the German statutory health care system the practice of sociomedicin e as an applied health science is mainly related to individual aspects of t he insured persons. Combining factors due to medical and socio-economical d evelopments it plays an important integrative role as so to say a lawyer of the patients. Furthermore, practical sociomedicine must provide consultant services to support the social insurance in the sphere of shaping the heal th care system. Profound knowledge on the required level must be acquired b y graduate studies and can be deepened by well-planned continuing medical e ducation. Professionalism in providing services and fulfilment of legal obl igations can be achieved by standardisation of social medical procedures, s cientific orientation towards public health aspects, appropriate methods of delivering medical knowledge, use of information systems, refinement of co -operation, quality management, social medical controlling, application of modern planning and control concepts as well as model leadership.