Strike between the years - Doctors protest against healthcare policy in the southwest
The head of Medi Baden-Württemberg, Norbert Smetak, has defended the strike by doctors in private practice against the health policy of Federal Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD). According to its own information, the medical association Medi represents around 5000 doctors in private practice in the south-west.
Smetak said on Wednesday in Stuttgart that the precarious situation of outpatient care was the reason for the protest action between the years. "Patients feel it every day, for example when looking for specialist appointments with sometimes months-long waiting times." In many regions in Germany, there are hardly any GPs left, which only highlights the disastrous situation of outpatient care.
Smetak said: "The lack of appreciation of doctors in private practice by politicians is reflected in the continuing lack of de-budgeting, hesitant outpatient care and insufficiently developed digitalization, the implementation of which is often carried out on the backs of the medical profession."
Criticism of the protests came from the AOK Baden-Württemberg. Its regional head Johannes Bauernfeind said that at a time when the sickness rate in the state is particularly high and healthcare should be a top priority, the temporary closure of doctors' surgeries and the additional burden this places on on-call services is a cause for concern. "Older and sick people in particular are dependent on continuous care." There is no question that excessive bureaucracy in surgeries and the permanent overload of doctors in private practice urgently need to be tackled. However, a constructive exchange between the relevant players would be more effective than a campaign on the backs of patients.
Medical associations had called for GP and specialist practices across Germany to remain closed between the years. The action planned for Wednesday to Friday is part of the "Practice in Need" campaign, which is supported by more than 20 associations.
Medi was unable to provide any information on the number of participating practices on Wednesday because the strike is being organized on a decentralized basis. The practices had been called upon to inform their patients about the closure, to refer them to the medical on-call service and to provide cover for urgent emergencies.
Lauterbach wants to meet with GPs in January for a crisis summit to discuss the lamented overload and the amount of bureaucracy in the practices.
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Source: www.stern.de
