[Effects of regional obligatory health care exemplified by a university clinic].

OBJECTIVE

Local care provision for the chronically mentally ill entails responsibility to be taken by all institutions involved in the care system of their respective area. In the clinical sphere regional responsibility is implement-ed to a large extent apart from a few university clinics. The University Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Clinic Tuebingen look after an area with obligatory provision of care consisting of 140,000 inhabitants in 1995.

RESULTS

The comparative evaluation of the basic documentation showed minimal overall changes but an increase of older patients, of patients who are frequently hospitalised, and of addicts. The number of emergencies remained unchanged. The concomitant questioning of colleagues indicated delayed acceptance of the change. According to experiences made to date, the conditions for research and teaching have improved in certain areas thanks to the obligatory provision of care.