Lump sum payment system in psychiatry and psychosomatics: concomitant research - quo vadis?

The new lump sum payment scheme for psychiatric and psychosomatic services is coming into force in 2013. This constitutes another step on the way to performance-based financial compensation of inpatient and day hospital treatment in psychiatric and psychosomatic hospitals in Germany. This fundamental change needs to be accompanied by scientific evaluation with regards to its effects. This article reflects on the legal foundations of such evaluations and the current progress of preparation. Furthermore, own approaches for analysing the effects of the new finance scheme are presented.