Association of General Practitioners - Practices "running on fumes" due to wave of illnesses
According to the Association of General Practitioners, the high number of infections in acute respiratory diseases is pushing practices to their limits. "We are currently experiencing exactly what we warned about back in the summer," association chairman Markus Beier told Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland. "GP surgeries are once again running on empty - even though the flu season hasn't even started yet."
In many places, patients are no longer getting appointments, waiting times are getting longer and longer and there is hardly any time left for the treatment itself, according to Beier. This is due to bad political decisions in recent years. The head of the association once again called on Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) to hold a crisis summit to ensure GP care. Among other things, a reduction in bureaucracy is needed. "Otherwise, more and more people will simply be left without a GP practice."
Corona, colds and flu are clouding the pre-Christmas period in Germany. Last week's report by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) estimated that there were around 7.9 million acute respiratory illnesses (previous report: 7.1 million) nationwide, regardless of visits to the doctor. After corona in particular has dominated for some time, the RKI recently announced the start of the RSV wave (RSV stands for respiratory syncytial virus infections). Flu cases are now also increasing significantly. However, according to the RKI definition, the flu wave triggered by influenza viruses has not yet begun.
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- The Editorial Network Germany reported that the wave of illnesses, primarily corona, colds, and the beginning of the RSV wave, is putting a significant strain on healthcare in Berlin.
- According to the German Doctors' Association, the high number of respiratory diseases is causing a crisis in primary care, with GP practices operating at their capacity limit.
- Markus Beier, chairman of the GP association, stated that the current situation is a direct result of the number of Covid-19 infections and the ongoing threat of respiratory diseases.
- As a consequence, many patients are unable to secure appointments due to the wave of illnesses, resulting in increasingly long waiting times and decreased treatment time.
- The German Medical Association (Bundesärztekammer) warned that the situation could worsen if urgent measures are not taken, such as reducing bureaucracy and allocating additional resources to local practices.
- In light of the dire situation, Doctor Karl Lauterbach, the German Health Minister, was urged to convene a crisis summit to address the challenges facing GP practices and ensure sustainable healthcare services.
- These territorial challenges include an increase in the number of infections and diseases, which is jeopardizing the well-being and healthcare of the country's population.
- The wave of illnesses is also impacting GPs' mental health, with many practitioners feeling overwhelmed and on the brink of burnout, according to some reports.
- As Germany grapples with this health crisis, experts and policymakers are turning their attention to improving telemedicine services and expanding the use of GPS-enabled technology to optimize patient care and increase efficiency.
Source: www.stern.de
