Ophthalmologist dates in the Wetteraukreis: Where is the care for children?

Ophthalmologist dates in the Wetteraukreis: Where is the care for children?

Reichelsheim, Deutschland - The search for an ophthalmologist's appointment in the Wetteraukreis is like a desperate endeavor! Despite a degree of supply of 116.13 percent, which indicates oversupply, many patients face a wall from waiting times and inaccessible doctors. A particularly dramatic example is the six-year-old grandson of a Reichelsheimer who fights with a slope problem. "You can sometimes despair at trying to get a doctor's appointment," reports the concerned grandmother, who wants to remain anonymous.

The Hessen Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KVH) states that private patients will receive an appointment faster, which further exacerbates the situation for legally insured persons. "No more new patients are accepted," complains the grandmother. In the entire area of Frankfurt and Gießen, it is impossible to get an appointment promptly. The need for a transfer to the university hospital is becoming more and more urgent, because the boy suffers from hidden squints, which could lead to serious problems. "Medical care is currently tending to the catastrophe," says the urgent warning of the grandmother.

a system in the crisis

The KVH admits that the lack of personnel in the practices and the overload of the doctors tighten the situation. "The ophthalmological care has developed positively," explains KVH spokesman Karl M. Roth, "but reality looks different." Many practices are overloaded and countless calls remain unanswered. Roth points out that not every ophthalmologist treats children and that unnecessary doctor's appointments also put a strain on the system. "Germany has too many clinics that often do not offer the necessary quality," he criticizes sharply.

The desperate grandmother and her daughter face the challenge that the grandson must be treated urgently, but the hurdles in the health system seem insurmountable. "We have to save our eyes before it is too late," she calls in her frustration. After all, the KVH offers a solution: Under number 116 117, patients can request an appointment that should be within four weeks, but they often have to accept long distances.