Care centers against a lack of doctors in the countryside

Gröhe wants to stem the lack of doctors in the countryside

07/13/2014

In view of the impending medical shortage in rural regions of Germany, Federal Minister of Health Hermann Gröhe (CDU) relies on more group practices. According to the politician, there are so far only a few really underserved areas.

Community practices in rural areas
According to a Reuters report, Federal Minister of Health Hermann Gröhe (CDU) is relying on more group practices in view of the impending medical shortage in rural areas. Opposite the „New Osnabrück newspaper“ From Saturday, the politician said that a variant „Medical care centers of general practitioners, if necessary also in the support of a municipality“ are. He will present a bill later this year to prevent the impending lack of doctors.

So far, only a few really underserved areas
Only recently, the results of a representative survey of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) and the NAV-Virchow-Bund were announced, according to which a quarter of specialists and family physicians in Germany will give up their practice in the next five years. As it was said, many would find no successors and as a result, the number of practices in total will decline significantly. For example, the looming supply gaps, especially in rural areas, could increase dramatically by 2020. But even if in many regions a number of physicians in private practice were about to retire, according to the minister, so far only a few really underserved areas exist.

Even more steps required
In 2012, the black-yellow predecessor government had already passed a law that provides for compensation incentives for physicians who settle in rural areas. In addition, the establishment of a second practice was facilitated and the so-called Residenzpflicht relaxed. Thus, physicians no longer have to live where they have their practice. Gröhe explained that more steps were needed. For example, the associations of statutory health insurance physicians should be able to react in the future before an undersupply has occurred. Furthermore, the possibilities for joint practice should be strengthened.

Short ways for patients
So far, medical centers of various disciplines have been working under one roof in care centers. For the patients, this means short distances and the doctors themselves can share the infrastructure. As a ministry spokeswoman said, should be met with the planned centers, in which only family doctors are working, the desire of many young medical doctors, for example, by part-time, a better reconciliation of work and family wished. This is especially true for women. It is also conceivable that a doctor is in addition to his activity in such a care center still working in another place.

Lifting the borders of outpatients and inpatients
In addition, Gröhe plans to lift the previous limits of outpatient and inpatient. „The supply of an aging population with multiple diseases can only be ensured through cross-sectoral care approaches“, so the CDU politician. With the help of an innovation fund, he wanted to create incentives. Increasingly, in rural, underdeveloped areas clinics would provide outpatient specialist care. At the same time, clinics for practicing doctors could make some hospitalization unnecessary. (Ad)