[Therapeutic experiences in a pneumologic specialty clinic of the former East Germany].

Abstract

From the viewpoint of a special clinic for pulmonary diseases in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR), problems and experiences are discussed that have been coming up in connection with the treatment of patients before and after the unification of the two Germanys. In view of the large variety of pneumologic diseases, the differences in therapy and their changes are outlined only for the sociomedically most important diseases such as tuberculosis, chronic obstructive diseases of the lungs, pneumonias and cancer of the lung. There were no significant differences in respect of the fundamental principles of therapy; however, differences did exist with regard to the availability of drugs and technical equipment. Attention is drawn to the difficulties that beset both the special hospital and the patient in the course of the present reorganization of outpatient medical care.