The MVZ Dorfen has moved into new premises in a central location in the city center. But there are still problems with the practices being reachable by telephone.
Dorfen – The Dorfen Medical Care Center (MVZ) is finally centrally accessible again in the city center. The practice group has moved to the savings bank building on Unterer Markt. “Our practice rooms are now all on one floor,” says cardiologist Dr. Walter Ruckdeschel.
On Erdiger Strasse, next to the Dorfen Clinic, the spatial limits were reached: “Patients used to have to wait for their cardiological examinations in the separate functional area of the hospital corridor. There is now enough space in the waiting area and all examinations take place in modern treatment rooms.”
The gastroenterologists now also have their consultation hours in the Sparkasse building, but the endoscopic examinations themselves take place in the former rooms of the MVZ on Erdiger Straße, simply because of the proximity to the hospital. Admitted patients will, of course, continue to be cared for by specialists. “We want to secure the future of specialist medicine in Dorfen,” adds Dr. Christian Zillinger, specialist in gastrointestinal diseases.
The MVZ still cannot complain about a lack of customers. Around a hundred patients visit the general medicine practice every day, whose new medical director is Martin Breuer. The internist also specializes in emergency medicine and geriatrics. The influx in gastroenterology and cardiology practices is also unabated. “Interdisciplinary collaboration is an essential factor in being able to continue to offer high-quality medicine,” explains Zillinger.
In addition to the twelve doctors from the three departments, another 50 employees work in the MVZ. Around 500 patients call every day. They are often stuck on hold. This is also the case for reader Peter Maierhofer, who wrote to the editors just a few days ago: “The MVZ has been extremely difficult to reach by phone for at least two years, the waiting time for a call is usually ten to twenty minutes,” complains the Dorfener .
This is not something specific to the MVZ Dorfen, says managing director Dr. Francisco Moreano. Outpatient care is suffering from an acute shortage of doctors and skilled workers. This is also proven by the statistics from the Bavarian Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians. The Erding Nord planning area, which includes Dorfen, has a shortfall of six full doctor licenses. Things look even worse in the neighboring districts. Difficulties in reaching all practices are “structurally inevitable,” says Moreano.
In order to improve patient management and relieve the burden on reception, he recommends using digital offerings. In plain language: “Patients should arrange appointments, order prescriptions or sick notes and video consultations online.”
The switch to e-prescriptions, which was introduced at the beginning of the year, also helps. Patients can now order their medication by email and pick it up later from the pharmacies. “Many patients come from Mühldorf and Altötting or even Landshut; they no longer have to travel to the practice for a prescription,” says Zillinger.
Stephan Seibert, owner of the Marienapotheke in Dorfen, thinks it's a good thing, even if there are still one or two childhood illnesses. Sometimes people are simply faster than the doctors, the pharmacist admits. “Then I have to put her off and ask her to come back in an hour.”
Stefan Tremmel, chairman of the Dorfen support group, fears that anyone who comes by car for a longer examination will block the parking spaces in Dorfen's city center. “Short-term parkers who want to quickly run an errand in the city can no longer stop here.” He therefore appeals to all patients who can walk well and to long-term parkers to use the parking facilities on the Volksfestplatz. “It’s really not that far.”