Health system too expensive to close clinics?

Barmer GEK boss calls for clinic closures to reduce costs in the healthcare system

02/01/2012

The large number of hospitals is one of the reasons for the high costs in the healthcare sector, according to the chairman of Barmer GEK, Christoph Straub. According to the head of the largest German health insurance fund, numerous clinics would have to be closed down in the coming years.

In view of the already existing financial difficulties in numerous hospitals and the massive surpluses in the statutory health insurance in 2011, the German Hospital Association (DKG) recently called for a loosening of the austerity package decided by the policy at the clinics to avoid the closure of hospitals. However, the push of the Barmer GEK chief now goes in a completely different direction. According to Straub, the closures of the clinics should be accepted in order to reduce the costs in the healthcare system in the long term.

Outdated structures of medical care
According to the CEO of Barmer GEK, the many hospitals and hospital beds are one of the reasons for the excessive costs in the German health care system. „We afford structures that are larger and more expensive than in other countries“, Straub told the daily „The world“. The Barmer GEK boss stressed that, therefore „not useful“ be, „to take back the austerity measures in the hospital area and simply maintain expensive hospital structures“ Even if the smaller hospitals in communal sponsorship are facing serious financial difficulties in the coming years, they should not be granted the savings contribution from the health care reform adopted in 2011, Straub demanded. The CEO of Barmer GEK looks in the elevated „economic pressure“also a chance, „to change the outdated structures“, which cause of the excessive health care costs. Thus, the traditional coexistence of hospitals and medical practices should be redesigned and the medical care of the population much more often outpatient or done during short hospital stays, said Straub. Both established physicians and employed hospital doctors would have to be able to provide outpatient and inpatient services in the future, stressed the Barmer GEK boss.

Demand for a closure of hospitals no solution?
In addition, Straub demanded one „uniform remuneration for certain medical services provided on an outpatient and inpatient basis“, finally to overcome the previous untimely separation of outpatient and inpatient care. According to the head of the Barmer GEK, less traditional clinics and more should be available in the future „outpatient-inpatient units“ take over the medical care of the population in the country and in agglomerations. In this care structure, around two-thirds of public and private clinics, which are already running well today, would continue to play a key role. However, in return, about ten to twenty percent of the approximately 2,000 clinics in Germany would be threatened with closure because they are already in the red. From the ranks of the policy was given this information already the first criticism of the thrust of the Barmer GEK chief. The spokeswoman for the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of Health, Beate Fasbender-Döring, said in Mainz that „The urgent demand for hospital closure and bed removal is no solution“ for the difficulties in the health system. According to the ministry spokesperson, instead, the supply structure in individual regions should be thoroughly reviewed and, if necessary „the cooperation and mergers of hospitals“ to be sought, „to ensure supply, especially in rural areas.“ However, the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of Health did not take a position on the demand for a relaxation of the savings contribution for the hospitals, as demanded by the interest representation of the clinics. About 600 million euros are to contribute hospitals according to the decisions of the policy on austerity package of health care reform in 2011. (Fp)

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Picture: Günter Havlena