[Selected psychoneurotic-somatic disorders and diseases of the digestive tract. An integrated unitary concept].

On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the inauguration of our new, modern Department of Internal Medicine in Jena it is our intention to characterize, at least roughly, the contribution to its profile that has been made since its institutionalization. In this context, problems that were related to the main tasks in patient care and to the character of the division of general internal medicine had to be picked out from the multitude of services which have been provided by the staff of the division for the benefit of our citizens. As exemplified by two problematic syndromes of the digestive tract, we wished to demonstrate that a non-integrative dualistic medical practice in diagnostics and therapy is not suitable to produce the necessary qualitative breakthrough in our public health service. Only by stepwise and limited diagnostics can a balanced cost-to-benefit ratio be advocated for the patient and the society. Our scientifically oriented mode of prescribing therapeutic measures for the citizens in our public health institutions is intended to harmonize, more than ever before, quality with economics, as the international trend of growing costs in public health services also holds true for the GDR. These few suggestions will have outlined at least first steps in the right direction.