Wir überwinden Grenzen

Some cardiological and vascular surgery procedures can be performed on an outpatient basis at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg / Outpatient treatment enables high quality treatment and recovery at home

In in the morning, home in the evening: that is the principle of the new day clinic ward at the Bad Krozingen campus of the Medical Center - University of Freiburg. The team of physicians and nurses from the Department of Cardiology and Angiology and the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery treat patients who require minor surgical procedures or examinations of the heart or blood vessels. What is new is that the procedures are offered on an outpatient basis and patients are only in the clinic for a few hours. Patients can currently be treated in 16 beds.

"Outpatient care is more convenient for most patients. They benefit from the highest quality of treatment and can recover at home in their familiar surroundings," says Prof. Dr. Martin Moser, Senior Physician in the Department of Cardiology and Angiology and Medical Director of the day clinic ward. At the same time, outpatient care is cheaper, which reduces the burden on the healthcare system, and more sustainable because significantly fewer resources are required for an overnight stay at home than in hospital.

For example, patients receive a coronary angiography in the day clinic, in which the coronary vessels are examined under X-ray. Furthermore, pacemaker batteries can be changed on an outpatient basis. In individual cases, electrical cardioversion, i.e. pacing to treat atrial fibrillation, can also be performed on an outpatient basis.

Expanding cooperation with referring physicians

The day ward team decides together with the patients and the physicians treating them on an outpatient basis whether the planned procedure should take place on an outpatient basis or as usual on an inpatient basis. "We are looking forward to working even more closely with our colleagues in private practice. Together, we can ensure the best possible treatment for our patients," says Moser. Prof. Dr. Dirk Westermann, Medical Director of the Department of Cardiology and Angiology at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg, adds: "Outpatient care offers enormous potential in cardiac medicine. We would therefore very much welcome a significant expansion of the catalog of outpatient procedures in this area."

Procedure in the clinic - overnight stay at home

After the outpatient procedure, patients are monitored on site for several hours and can then go straight home with an escort. "If the procedure was more complex than expected or complications arise, patients are of course admitted as inpatients for comprehensive follow-up observation," says nursing ward manager Andre Kage.

Physicians in private practice can register patients for outpatient surgery by calling 07633 402-5058, faxing 07633 402-5059 or sending an email to uhz.tagesklinik@uniklinik-freiburg.de.