No waiting? Kassenärztliche associations arrange appointments with the specialist

Whether dermatologist, ENT specialist or the expert for knee injuries: Getting an appointment with a specialist in many cases seems impossible. Often, countless doctors have to be called, and even then it can take months for something to be free. But that should soon be over. As of 25 January, members of the statutory health insurance companies will be assisted by the Panel Medical Associations in arranging appointments.
Patients wait months for treatment at the specialist
Who needs a specialist, often has bad cards. Many patients experience a multi-day telephone odyssey, until they finally get an appointment, added waiting times of up to several months. But this condition should change soon, because from the end of January, the Kassenärztlichen associations (KV) now want to help finding the date. According to the Kassenärztliche Bundesvereinigung (KBV), this requires a membership in the statutory health insurance as well as a referral to a specialist. An exception here appointments with the ophthalmologist or the gynecologist, because here no bank transfer is necessary to make use of the appointment service, according to the KBV.

Cash registers help with appointments with the specialist. Image: RioPatuca Images - fotolia

Patient get appointment within four weeks
To find out the telephone number and the office hours of the responsible "appointment service point", you should contact the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians in the respective federal state. After the call, the appointment service offers a treatment appointment to a specialist within seven days, whereby the waiting time between call and appointment for urgent complaints may not exceed four weeks. However, according to KBV, this deadline does not apply to routine examinations or "minor illnesses". If mediation is not possible within this time, care is still provided: "The law stipulates that we have to arrange an outpatient appointment in the hospital if there is no appointment with a resident specialist within four weeks", explains Dr. med. med. Peter Potthoff, chairman of KV Nordrhein in another report.

Long journeys must be planned
However, it should be noted that it is not possible to arrange a desired appointment with a specific doctor ("desired physician") via the appointment service. Instead, treatments would be proposed to those medical professionals who have volunteered appointments during the four-week period. Accordingly, patients would have to calculate longer journeys, whereby the time, which one needs by public transport to the nearest specialist plus 30 minutes, as "reasonable" applies. Anyone who makes an appointment with a specialist doctor, such as need a radiologist or neurosurgeon, therefore, even expect additional 60 minutes. It is therefore recommended to first ask the favorite doctor himself an appointment before the appointment service will be mandated. In addition, there would be no mediation for psychotherapists, dentists, orthodontists, general practitioners and pediatricians. (No)