Overcrowded emergency departments - Doctors in MV are concerned about increased burden due to emergency reform in Hausa
The plans of the Federal government to alleviate the often overcrowded Emergency Rooms in hospitals are facing massive criticism from doctors in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. "Here, double structures are being built that do not correspond to the needs of a sparsely populated rural area," noted Jan Eska, deputy chairman of the Doctors' Association MV.
According to the now proposed legislative draft, integrated emergency centers should be built at almost all hospitals for patient guidance. However, these would already be at their capacity limit. Expanding the tasks assigned to them would inevitably come at the expense of patient care in practices, warned Eska.
Medical care already has gaps
According to the statements of the Kassenärztliche Vereinigung in the country, there are currently 77 vacant doctor's offices in the land, and the gaps in medical care are threatening to become even larger, as retiring rural doctors often cannot find successors. "We need all available colleagues to maintain care at the current level," the statement from the association continues.
According to the plans of Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD), patients with urgent concerns should be directed more targeted to appropriate treatment offers in the future, instead of going to the hospital right away. In the emergency centers, on-call doctors should decide based on urgency whether a patient goes to the emergency room of the clinic or to a nearby emergency doctor's office. Lauterbach hopes for better patient management and relief of often overcrowded emergency rooms.
Acknowledged need for reform
Eska acknowledged the need for reform but emphasized adaptability options per federal state. What works well in city-states is not always sensible or implementable in rural regions. In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, readiness duty practices have already been set up in twelve cities. According to the cabinet draft, the number should be doubled. However, there is a lack of medical personnel for this. The reform plans also have significant financial implications, which could potentially lead to another increase in health insurance contributions, Eska pointed out.
According to the statements of the Kassenärztliche Vereinigung, there were 922 licensed doctor's offices in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in 2022. In addition, 214 employed doctors ensured the medical care. According to surveys by the Kassenärztliche Bundesvereinigung, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern ranks among the federal states with the highest doctor density, with over 70 doctors per 100,000 inhabitants. However, the ways to the doctor are long for many patients.
- Despite the criticisms from doctors in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the Federal government continues to push for the construction of integrated emergency centers in hospitals' emergency rooms.
- The Medical Association in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, led by Jan Eska, argues that these emergency centers will likely exceed their capacity limits and negatively impact family doctors.
- With numerous vacant doctor's offices and the threat of even larger gaps in medical care, the Kassenärztliche Vereinigung emphasizes the importance of retaining and recruiting rural doctors.
- Health Minister Karl Lauterbach proposes restructuring the healthcare system, suggesting that urgent patients be directed to appropriate treatment offers outside of hospitals, potentially alleviating the overload in emergency rooms.
- In response to Lauterbach's plans, Eska acknowledges the need for reform but emphasizes the importance of tailoring these reforms to specific regions, like Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, due to its unique challenges and requirements.
- In Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, where doctor density is among the highest in Germany, patients often face lengthy travel times to receive medical care.
