New doctors portal against unnecessary operations

Recognized senior physicians launch Internet portal against senseless operations of the musculoskeletal system

15/08/2011

In Germany, too much surgery, this view represented twelve experienced and recognized in the art surgeons. The physicians plan therefore a Aufklärungsportal in the InterNet against „unnecessary operations“. Patients who have an intervention question may seek a second opinion.

In Germany, are operations too fast in principle? Even in conventional medicine, the principle of salutogenesis (the powers of self-healing) has arrived in many disciplines. Instead of delivering unnecessary surgeries to patients, alternative concepts for healing should also be considered. In the new issue of Der Spiegel, 12 leading German surgeons announce a new online campaign „against unnecessary operations“ to start. Especially for this the physicians want an online portal with the title „Attention! operations“ bring into being. Patients should quickly and easily get an independent second opinion about their condition. The basic requirement is that the person concerned has been suggested by a physician to perform a surgical procedure.

Operations that do more harm than good
Interventions due to structural problems of the musculoskeletal system have risen rapidly in the last ten years. On the one hand, more and more people complain of symptoms such as back pain, flank pain and pain in the limbs because of their sedentary activities. On the other hand, despite recent findings far too quickly resorted to the scalpel. With the portal, doctors now want to tackle the high number of operations on the back, knees, hips and shoulders. Because in their opinion, many interventions do not even help or even worsen the symptoms. So said the professor and surgeon for knee joints, Prof. dr. med. Hans Pässler opposite the „mirror“: „I can not see how out there operations are made that bring nothing to the patient, but only use the doctor“. Pässler is one of the main initiators of the medical advice portal. The specialist in back problems, Professor Dr. med. med. Jürgen Harms criticizes the high and sometimes unnecessary interventions in herniated discs. Almost half (40 to 45 percent) could be treated without surgery. The experienced spine specialist has had to diagnose innumerable negative examples in his professional career. „I have seen too many interventions that ended in grandiose failures“, said Harms. And then the doctor saw patients with herniated discs, in which even without surgery, a recovery began. „Without surgery“, as the specialist emphasizes.

Especially experienced doctors are required here to stem the flood of unnecessary operations, as the chief physician for plastic surgery, Dr. med. med. Ulrich Steinau told the magazine. We have therefore as „Senior surgeons“ teamed up to patiently and patiently support patients. In fact, all the doctors on the portal have been involved in scientific and medical work for decades. Many of the experts are teaching in medical schools.

Second opinion is not free
Already interested people can look on the website „www.vorsicht-operationen.de“ inform. However, the service is not free. Depending on the cost of the expert opinion, sums of a lump sum of 200, 400 and 600 euros are due. Complex diagnoses can even cost even more, as can be read on the website. The costs must be borne by the patients themselves, since so far only one statutory health insurance company, the German company health insurance fund, as well as the private health insurance Debeka have announced to signal at least one interest. Whether in the future health insurance funds and private insurers start a reimbursement depends on the form in which the second opinion portal meets with approval and how the statistical benefit ultimately ends. However, the coffers may very well be interested in saving costly operations if the alternative proposals are more beneficial and less costly.

Diagnosis by medical report and MRI image
In order to perform a diagnosis, affected persons can transmit MRI, CT, X-ray images, evaluation of previously consulted physicians' reports (e.g., from surgery, examination, etc.) and laboratory findings online via secure file transfer. In addition, a comprehensive online form must be completed. Within two weeks, the doctors then want to create a diagnosis and tell their position, whether an intervention from their point of view is necessary or not. However, before you have to bear the costs, an offer is made after reviewing the documents. Only then can the patient decide whether to pay for the second opinion or not. (Sb)

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Picture: Lothar Wandtner