[First experiences with clinical pathways in carotid surgery].

The introduction of guidelines for carotid surgery into praxis. Early experiences with the clinical pathway. With the use of DRG's for reimbursements, a new organization of clinical pathways may play an increasingly important role in the delivery of health care. The impact of clinical pathways as a management tool in the treatment of patients with carotid occlusive disease was studied. Representatives of all involved disciplines identified in which sequence, where, when, by whom and which care a patient with carotid disease should receive. The individual steps of care were analysed, estimating their utility and determining a new plan for a patient's care. The clinical pathway specifies a target time window, defining exactly the internal and external logistics. The early experiences demonstrate that clinical pathways can be a useful tool for improving the quality of health care by improving cost and process transparency. Hospital length of stay was reduced by 2.3 days.