Economic sequelae of failed treatments of psychosomatic and somato-psychic illnesses

The search for biotechnical causes of diseases although very successful in many areas fail to account for wide variations of morbidity and mortality. Such search in the most common symptoms, for which our health care system is utilized, falls short of meeting the health needs of a vast number of patients, since only in 16% such causes can be found. This continuing misunderstanding contributes to the tremendous rise in healthcare expenditures without improving the delivered health care. Relatively short lasting psychosocial interventions are shown to have a significant effect in reducing health care seeking behaviour. This is particular demonstrated in somatization disorder. In the last section examples for cost offset effects in outpatient care and in psychosomatic inpatient treatment will be given with remarkable cost savings. Finally recommendations are listed to meet the health needs of the public more sufficiently. Psychosocial factors are shared determinants of health outcomes across diseases, therefore labeled as "Super highways for Disease", must be taken into account to reduce the number of unnecessary diagnostic examinations and unsuccessful treatments, to reduce the length of hospital stay, to increase the survival rate in cancer by increasing the self-management and self-competence, which will finally lead to a tremendous reduction in costs for our health care system.