[Psychiatric patients in the internal medicine hospital--results of a survey].

According to the results of an inquiry in Niedersachsen, more than one quarter of patients in internal wards need at least a psychiatric co-treatment, most of them suffering from gerontopsychiatric and psychosomatic diseases and alcoholism. Internal specialists inform about this demand; the special treatment that ought to follow can mostly not be realized. The usual cooperation as well as psychiatric wards or hospitals mostly not within easy reach can hardly improve the situation. A special ward integrated in the general hospital is considered helpful for patients of this very house. As there will hardly be a chance of building up special new wards in the next few years, considering the present financial situation of the health care system, it is discussed, in which way an effective psychiatric-psychosomatic care might be created.