- Outpatient care is a niche business for spas
Outpatient Preventive Cures Remain a Niche Business for Thuringian Spa Towns
According to figures from the Thuringian Spa Association, 273 people underwent a preventive cure in a recognized spa town in the Free State last year, with most choosing Heiligenstadt and Bad Salzungen. In 2022, this number was 227. For comparison, rehabilitation clinics in Thuringia, which treat chronically ill patients or those recovering from acute illnesses such as heart attacks or cancer, treat between 60,000 and 70,000 people annually.
An outpatient preventive cure, also known as an open spa cure, allows health-conscious individuals to combine a vacation in a recognized spa town with medical treatments such as baths or inhalations. They can stay in hotels, pensions, or vacation rentals and receive treatment at local spa clinics or cure houses. The treatments are prescribed by local spa physicians.
Since 2021, these cures have again been mandatory services covered by statutory health insurance. They contribute up to 16 euros per day towards accommodation, catering, and travel costs for a typical three-week stay and cover most of the treatment costs, such as for inhalations or baths. In Bad Salzungen, for example, a special cure for lung diseases using healing salt is offered. In Heiligenstadt, the local Kurpark Clinic treats orthopedic and cardiovascular diseases, among others.
Disadvantage of Vacation Regulation
The low demand in Thuringia so far is likely due not only to a lack of awareness about the cash benefits for outpatient cures among many people, according to the Spa Association's assessment. "It's also a problem that one has to take vacation for it," said Melanie Kornhaas, the association's managing director. This is particularly challenging for working professionals, added Andrea Waldmann from the Kurpark Clinic in Heiligenstadt. "Taking three weeks of vacation at a time for a cure is difficult or almost impossible for employees." Unlike sick leave, outpatient preventive cures do not entitle one to continued pay.
This is why, among others, retirees tend to apply for open bath cures, as observed not only by the Kurpark Clinic but also by the AOK Plus health insurance company. Last year, around 1,700 insured individuals in Thuringia and Saxony applied for such a cure, with 874 applications received so far this year. These applications are not limited to spa towns in Germany but also include healing baths in European countries. In the past, those in Eastern Europe have emerged as strong competitors to Thuringian spa towns.
Despite the financial benefits and wide range of health treatments available, the low demand for outpatient preventive cures in Thuringia might be attributed to both a lack of awareness and the inconvenience of taking three weeks of vacation for the cure, as stated by Melanie Kornhaas from the Thuringian Spa Association. To address this issue, it's crucial to implement health and safety measures to ensure that these cures can be taken while still maintaining professional responsibilities, thereby making them more accessible to working professionals.
