GP association: "Outpatient care threatens to collapse"
The Rhineland-Palatinate General Practitioners' Association is warning of a collapse in outpatient care in the state. "The biggest challenge is that outpatient care is in danger of collapsing," Heidi Weber, second chairwoman of the Rhineland-Palatinate GP Association, told the German Press Agency. "We have far too few staff, both on the doctors' side and on the medical assistants' side."
A viral infection is currently circulating, and corona is also an issue again, said Weber. "We don't have any severe cases at the moment, but we do have long courses." In addition to the increased number of patients, staff are also ill. Annual vaccinations are also due. "We also have to care for immobile patients at home at the moment, with the flu and coronavirus vaccinations."
The workload is increasing and admissions to GP surgeries have increased, said Weber. The situation is even more tense in rural areas than in cities. There are currently around 50 vacancies in the Eifel region. "And 24 of them will be retiring in the next ten years." There are not enough young people coming up through the ranks, as wages and working hours are not suitable.
"Federal policy is cutting back on outpatient care. If outpatient care is destroyed, medicine will become really expensive," said Weber. "Because we direct and manage and see whether someone is seriously ill or can go home." If this filter is removed, patients will make use of other resources.
The GP association is therefore calling for the expansion of multi-professional teams, among other things. Primary care should be provided by these teams in the practices. If, for example, a medical specialist takes care of minor issues, this would free up valuable time for doctors, said Weber. If the GP practice also handles referrals to specialists, it would be easier to make arrangements regarding medication, for example.
"If that doesn't happen, then outpatient care will no longer be possible," said Weber. "Then people will die." Primary care management saves money and ensures better care for patients. "And we would like to have this money to be able to set up our teams better."
The increasing workload in outpatient care, due to various diseases and health issues, is straining the resources of doctors and medical assistants. Without adequate staffing, especially in rural areas, the collapse of outpatient care could lead to exorbitant medical costs and potentially life-threatening situations.
Source: www.dpa.com
