Same supply of private and cash patients

Supply of private and cash patients according to the Medical Association equivalent

08/04/2013

As a reaction to the investigation of waiting periods in the appointment of doctor appointments, the Landesärztekammer Hessen is defending itself. The background: A commissioned by the Kassel member of parliament Nicole Maisch (Greens) investigation had come to the conclusion that cash patients on average had to wait 20 days longer for an appointment with a specialist as privately insured.

„No quality differences in the treatment of private and cash patients“
According to the Hessian Chamber of Physicians, however, conclusions could not be drawn from these results. Rather, according to the President of the Medical Association Dr. med. med. Gottfried von Knoblauch zu Hatzbach, „that in Germany there are no quality differences in the treatment of private and cash patients.“ Contrary to the results of the investigation, according to von Garlic zu Hatzbach, it should also be borne in mind that German patients are in comparison to patients in other EU and OECD countries „the freeest access to doctors and hospitals as well as medical innovations“ and especially „regardless of the insured status“.

Restrictions in the service area due to cost pressure in the practices?
However, there may be restrictions in the area of ​​service, admits from Garlic to Hatzbach - but this is justified by the fact that there is no general claim on the part of the patients for an immediate appointment. In this context, the cost pressure in the practices is a possible explanation for the different waiting time in the appointment, because according to the physician, the outpatient care has been underfunded for years: „If contract physicians would have to survive their economic existence solely by treating cash patients, many would be forced to give up their practice“, the chamber president continued.

Big regional differences in the appointment
For the investigation on behalf of the Green politician Nicole Maisch testers had called in the last two months Hessenweit 470 specialist medical offices in short intervals to make an appointment - it was ever once as a statutory and once as a private insured patient spent. The result: On the one hand, cash-desk patients had to wait much longer for a doctor's appointment than private patients, on the other hand, large regional differences became clear: for example, cash-based patients in Hanau had to wait an average of 36 days longer than private patients, whereas the difference in Wiesbaden was only eleven days. According to Nicole Maisch have shown this survey, „that cash patients are clearly disadvantaged in the appointment“, what the politician after „not acceptable“ be, in her opinion „the longer waiting times for health insurance patients for economic incentives in the system“ would lie.

Lack of doctors and increasing morbidity responsible for scheduling
According to von garlic zu Hatzbach, the current study would classify it into similar investigations, „which, above all, make one thing clear: the scheduling capacity of established physicians.“ According to the Hessian President of the Medical Council, this is due primarily to the increasing shortage of doctors, but also to the fact that this is the case „an outdated demand planning and the increasing morbidity in the population for full waiting room and for waiting times in the appointment responsible.“

No two-class medicine according to the Hessian Medical Association
In the view of the Hessian President of the Medical Council, however, it is not possible to speak of a two-class medicine, instead doctors would award appointments according to medical criteria - „regardless of whether a patient is privately or legally insured“, continues the specialist in internal medicine. Accordingly, every patient in serious or even life-threatening situation would be examined immediately, in other cases, however, there would be no obligation for physicians to treat each patient immediately, rather appointments take place here according to the timing of each practice. According to von garlic to Hatzbach also the state medical chamber long waiting times would „unsatisfactory“ but the situation can only be changed, „when the root causes of the problems are tackled“, so on from garlic to Hatzbach on. (No)