Utilization of services at the Berlin Center of Ambulatory Rehabilitation

: The Center for Ambulatory Rehabilitation (ZaR) in Berlin provides rehabilitative services for orthopedic and neurological patient problems offering a rehabilitation program that is flexible, individually adapted and close to the patient's home. This paper analyzes the development of utilization of the ZaR using patient application, admission and discharge data for a one year period (April 1997 to March 1998). Treatment was started for 1,009 patients (mean age 51.1 years; 55% female). While mean duration of a treatment period was 28.5 days, overall utilization of the ZaR was 49%, being higher for the neurological department than for the orthopedic department (74% and 40%, respectively). The variety of patient problems treated was fairly small: more than two thirds of the cases treated were patients after stroke (ICD 430-438) in the neurological department and patients with back problems (ICD 721-724) in the orthopedic department, respectively. Acute care hospitals still play a minor role in referring patients to the ZaR. Referrals of many office-based physicians suggest that the ZaR will achieve its intention to provide rehabilitative services close to the patient's home.