[Intersectoral patient care in rheumatology: concept and preliminary experiences with a model project].

In October 2006 the Rheumaklinik Ostbayern was founded as a clinic for acute rheumatology patient care, carried by Landkreis Passau Krankenhaus GmbH. The clinic operates in close professional cooperation with the Orthopädiezentrum Bad Füssing, an adjacent rehabilitation clinic carried by Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bayern Süd. The close constructional and personnel network between the two institutions creates optimal conditions for an interdisciplinary and intersectoral approach. The authors report their first experiences since foundation of the clinic and completion of a cooperation contract.