In many places crowded emergency rooms patients should pay extra for it

Financial Excess Demanded by Patients in Emergency Rooms
In fact, emergency rooms in hospitals are only for emergencies. But more and more people, who could also be treated on an outpatient basis, go to such clinics. Experts are now demanding that these patients be asked to pay.

Many patients are wrong in the emergency department
Up to 25 million people are treated annually in the emergency departments of German hospitals. However, it has been criticized for years that far too many wrong patients come, for example, because of colds or other trifles. In some clinics the emergency rooms are completely overcrowded. In Berlin, people had already thought about possible penalties for unnecessary emergency ambulance patients. In other federal states is considered, "non-emergency" to ask for cash.

Emergency shots are actually meant for emergencies. But many people come there with trivial diseases. According to experts, these patients should pay a deductible. (Image: schulzfoto / fotolia.com)

Excess for non-acute conditions
The KV Rhineland-Palatinate has demanded a deductible in patients with non-acute conditions in view of the often overcrowded emergency departments of hospitals in the country, reports the Südwestdeutsche Rundfunk (SWR).

Rainer Saurwein of the KV said the legislature should consider this. Accordingly, such an approach could relieve the emergency rooms.

Only one in ten treated an emergency
How dramatic the situation actually is can be seen in the example of the Katholisches Klinikum Mainz. In the local emergency department, according to their own information, nearly 30,000 patients were treated last year.

But according to the head of the emergency room, Torsten Schmitt, only about ten percent had been emergencies.

The rest should actually visit one of the 48 emergency clinics in Rhineland-Palatinate or go to a family doctor.

People waiting are often aggressive
The CT tries to draw attention to the emergency services, but according to Saurwein not all people are reached. In addition, the emergency room for many to achieve better - and also offer an all-round care, the standby practices could not afford.

"We suggest that also in the emergency room directly education is provided. And anyone who wants to be treated there with a minor ailment should pay a deductible, "said Saurwein.

Schmitt complained: "The patients have no understanding, long to wait and want to see a specialist immediately." Unfortunately, it would often come to those who are waiting for insults and a rough tone. Even blows would occur, in most cases by drunks.

Violent attacks by patients are also repeatedly reported in other federal states. (Ad)