As of: January 30, 2024, 12:07 p.m
Comments
Press
Split
Karl Lauterbach: “The hospital reform is back on track.” © Kay Nietfeld/dpa
In three months, citizens should be able to select the best clinics via online check before an operation.
A corresponding atlas is to be launched for this purpose.
Berlin - From May 1st, patients in Germany should be able to choose the most suitable hospital online before undergoing hospital treatment.
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) announced that the corresponding clinical atlas should then be launched.
This is to be followed by the planned major clinical reform, which the federal and state governments have been struggling with for months.
“Hospital reform is back on track,” said Lauterbach.
The clinic atlas is intended to provide information right from the start about how much experience a clinic has with certain procedures, such as cancer treatment.
Lauterbach was confident that the corresponding transparency law could be passed in the Federal Council on March 22nd.
The planned regulations are previously the subject of the mediation committee of the Bundesrat and Bundestag.
The majority of the Federal Council initially rejected it.
Clinic reform is due to go to cabinet in April
Lauterbach announced that the more comprehensive clinic reform will be approved by the federal cabinet on April 24th.
Beforehand, she should consult with the states.
The day before, the states had put Lauterbach under pressure at the Health Ministers' Conference to quickly get the draft bill off the ground with the states' requests for changes.
The reform is intended to introduce a new payment method.
Hospitals should then no longer carry out as many treatments as possible for reasons of revenue.
In addition, “major quality deficits” should be reduced through more specialization, said Lauterbach.
Today, a third of cancer treatments are carried out in those two thirds of German clinics that do not understand this well due to a lack of experience.
The result is: severe complications such as sepsis.
“We have too many clinics”
According to Lauterbach's forecast, the reform will significantly change the clinical landscape - some clinics, especially in major western German cities, will then be dismantled.
“It is very clear that we have an oversupply of clinics,” said Lauterbach.
In oversupplied cities, occupancy levels of only 50 to 70 percent are not uncommon.
“We lack the staff for other facilities.
That's why we have too many clinics.” In the future, large medical care centers could replace current clinics that are no longer needed.
At the same time, there are underserved areas in rural regions - clinics here should also be kept online through surcharges.
When asked how many clinics would still be needed in Germany in the future, Lauterbach rejected an answer as “speculation”.
According to the Federal Statistical Office, there were still 1,893 hospitals in Germany in 2022.
120 hospitals before or in bankruptcy
In the short term, billions in aid are intended to avert a wave of insolvencies among hospitals that are under severe financial pressure.
“There are currently 120 hospitals before or in bankruptcy proceedings,” said Lauterbach.
Six billion euros in liquidity support should be introduced with the Transparency Act.
In addition, tariff increases should be offset.
dpa