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Drese is fighting against a shortage of specialists: More outpatient treatments in MV!
Under Minister Drese, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is planning to promote outpatient treatment in hospitals in order to address the shortage of specialists.
Drese is fighting against a shortage of specialists: More outpatient treatments in MV!
A new chapter in health care is being opened - not only in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, but also nationwide. The Minister of Health of MV, Stefanie Drese, plans to integrate more outpatient treatments into hospitals in order to counteract the urgent shortage of specialists in the region. As the Baltic Sea newspaper reports, not only 12 ophthalmologists but also other specialists such as dermatologists and pediatricians are on the list of urgently needed medical professionals in the state.
A central element of Drese's plan is strengthening the network between outpatient and inpatient treatment. “The existing situation is not optimal,” says Drese. Currently, in most cases, outpatients are not allowed to be admitted to hospitals if there is no specialist nearby. The upcoming hospital reform should take effect here, which should also provide for a better integration of these types of treatment in the guise of the revised legal situation.
Overarching reforms to relieve the burden on the system
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach also has big plans: He would like to have up to a quarter of the current inpatient treatments carried out on an outpatient basis. This sounds like a promising measure to reduce overload in German hospitals. According to the Doctor's newspaper From January 2023, numerous treatments could be carried out in the form of day treatments, provided patients give their consent. From now on, billing will be based on a new system that will be adapted to the existing fee procedure.
The combination of a new retention payment system - which creates a financial incentive if the clinics maintain their services - and the ability for hospitals to quickly switch patients between outpatient and inpatient care as needed could significantly improve the situation. If implemented correctly, this could not only reduce the burden on hospitals, but also increase the attractiveness of the nursing profession.
Impact on emergency care
What is particularly sensitive is the fact that the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians from MV warns: The current capacities in the clinics cannot handle the over 13 million outpatient treatment cases per year. Nevertheless, there is political will to reform the hospital landscape and ensure emergency care with new financial resources from the federal budget amounting to 4 billion euros - 100 million of which are for MV. This could also be a practical solution in regions with few practicing doctors.
Apart from the high investments, 60 million euros are also planned in the budget for normal hospital investments. However, Drese emphasizes that opening the clinics for outpatient treatment should in no way be a death knell for doctors practicing in rural areas: “This should be a win-win situation for everyone involved,” is her clear call for cooperation.
So there is a lot to do in the mixed landscape of outpatient and inpatient care. The coming months could be groundbreaking for the medical landscape in Germany - and thus also for the health of many kidney and kidney patients in MV.