[The concept of integrated internal medicine-psychosomatic patient management--experiences and results with its application in a general hospital].

Psychosomatic therapy has been realized by integration into general ward's therapeutic program in a general hospital. Within 3 1/2 years of development the medical staff has been qualified to perform basic elements of psychosomatic therapy, whilst the structure of the medical department has been changed in different aspects. During a period of 28 days the real extend of psychosomatic therapy now has been evaluated by questionnaire: 438 psychosomatic and psychosocial interventions were documented in this time, concerning 149 patients (= 53% of all patients treated in the department). Causes, trigger mechanic, settings, frequency, median duration, and different kinds of all these interventions are described. According to the clientèle of our medical department, with a lot of elderly and multi-handicapped persons, the main topics of interventions concerned--besides of specific psychosomatic treatment--addiction and problems of alcoholism, coping strategies and compliance, as well as further support of handicapped singles after discharge.