Internal Medicine

Our aim is to perceive each patient as an individual person – not as a "case." We see this as an essential basis for first-class medical and nursing care.

Caring for sick people is always a team effort, which is why mutual appreciation is so important in our everyday work. The growing complexity of internal medicine has led to the development of many specialised fields. In our department, the majority of these are covered by doctors with in-depth additional training, while always pursuing a holistic approach to treatment.

Prevention, diagnosis, treatment and aftercare of diseases of the internal organs, metabolism, lymphatic, endocrine and blood systems are central aspects of internal medicine. Other areas are:

• Cardiology: Diseases of the heart and blood vessels
• Pneumology: Lung diseases
• Gastroenterology: Diseases of the digestive tract
• Endocrinology: Hormonal and metabolic disorders
• Haematology: Blood diseases
• Allergology and immunology
• Oncology: Cancer diseases
• Rheumatology
• Palliative medicine
• Infectious diseases and poisoning
• Geriatrics: age-related diseases
• Psychosomatics: psychosomatic conditions
• Emergency medicine: Central emergency room and internal intensive care unit

Older people are often at risk of losing their independence or becoming dependent on care after serious illnesses or operations. This risk is often caused by a variety of pre-existing and concomitant illnesses, complex disorders, advanced age and concomitant conditions such as malnutrition, osteoporosis, incontinence, restricted mobility, polypharmacy and altered cognition.

Patients in particular benefit from the acute geriatrics care if they:

• have experienced acute internal diseases
• are treated after accidents or major operations
• have suffered a stroke
• suffer from multimorbidity
• see their independence jeopardised

The Acute Geriatrics and Remobilisation Ward has 12 beds. A multi-professional team of specialised staff offers treatment and care tailored to the needs of older people.

Our team includes: Doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, dieticians, psychologists, counsellors, social workers, discharge managers.

We attach particular importance to human attention, respectful interaction and good communication. Setting realistic goals is particularly important.

Possible objectives for our patients:

• Successful treatment of acute illnesses
• Restoring and maintaining a largely independent lifestyle
• Avoidance of further loss of function
• Establishing the ability to rehabilitate for subsequent rehabilitation
• Reintegration into the familiar environment

Assignment and evaluation:

Patients are mainly referred within the hospital, but can also be admitted by external referral (e.g. via the GP, from nursing homes or other hospitals) after prior registration and consultation. Early referral is recommended.

Weekly interdisciplinary team meetings evaluate the patient's progress. If necessary, the therapy plan and goals are adjusted.

Exclusion criteria for admission are: conditions requiring intensive care or those with a poor/terminal prognosis, severe dementia rendering participation in therapies impossible, as well as a lack of willingness to undergo therapy.

Our Internal Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Intermediate Care Unit (IMCU) offer comprehensive, high-quality care for critically ill patients on six specialised beds. A highly specialised team of doctors and nurses ensures 24/7 care.

The ward specialises in the care of patients with critical, life-threatening illnesses from internal medicine and related disciplines. This includes:

• Sepsis (blood poisoning) and multiple organ failure
• Lung and respiratory diseases: Pneumonia, acute respiratory failure/ARDS, decompensated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Cardiological emergencies: acute heart attack, cardiac insufficiency, cardiac arrhythmia
• Neurological emergencies
• Acute diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: Bleeding, liver failure, acute pancreatitis

Our intensive care equipment includes:

• Ventilation procedures: invasive and non-invasive techniques
• Renal replacement procedure: Haemodialysis and hemofiltration
• Cardiovascular monitoring: invasive and non-invasive procedures, pacemaker therapy
• Thermoregulation: invasive methods for temperature control
• Imaging procedures: mobile sonography, echocardiography (incl. TEE), duplex sonography, X-ray
• Endoscopy: mobile gastroscopy, colonoscopy, bronchoscopy
  

We are also actively involved in the in-hospital resuscitation team to ensure that all patients receive immediate emergency care.

In this specialist area, doctors and intensive care nurses work hand in hand, supported by physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists. Hospital chaplaincy also provides valuable emotional support.

We actively participate in the in-hospital resuscitation team to ensure immediate emergency care for all patients. Modern data acquisition and internal registers enable continuous quality control.