When guidelines are confronted with health care reality. Purpose of guidelines from the perspective of a psychiatrist

The National Health Care guidelines on unipolar depression play a leading role regarding the multitude of players providing general care services, regarding scientific research and, last but not least, regarding common etiologic and therapeutic concepts as perceived by affected people and their relatives. In terms of health care, depression as a universal disorder comprises qualitative and quantitative aspects. For practicing neurologists/psychiatrists the guidelines provides many suggestions for different forms of treatment of the many kinds of depressive patients. When using a comprehensive approach, the criteria of evidence-based medicine are particularly important for practicing psychiatrists regarding the knowledge based on medical experience and patients preferences. It is important to point out that the hitherto fervently debated treatment dichotomy of psychotherapy versus pharmacotherapy is beginning to diminish. This is also reflected by the holistic perception of diseases and treatment approaches prevailing among established psychiatrists and the apparent development of health care quality towards individualized medicine. © 2010 Springer-Verlag.