Chamber of doctors warns: Health deficit could endanger patient care!
Chamber of doctors warns: Health deficit could endanger patient care!
Österreich - The Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK) is faced with a challenging financial decline. The general manager of the Medical Association, Johannes Steinhart, was positive about the lack of larger savings concepts in the health sector within the current budget. This contrasts with the concerns about a forecast deficit of 900 million euros, which means that savings are apparently necessary to stabilize the financial situation. A deficit of 250 million euros is expected in the current year. With the aim of reaching “the Black Zero” in the coming year, the ÖGK designs a savings package that includes measures to reduce costs, such as the approval obligation for MRI and CT examinations as well as physiotherapies. Kleine Zeitung reports that such savings may also lead to an undersupply could.
The ÖGK plans to implement savings in several areas, which include an increase in the own cost of orthopedic measurement shoes and new transport costs for patients. The discussions about savings are already causing resistance, especially the FPÖ, which fears that older people could be particularly affected. Therefore, open communication between the ÖGK and the medical profession is of essential importance. orf emphasizes that despite the need for savings, the fees should not increase for doctors more than the contributions that could currently be raised by 4%.
reform requirement in the health system
As part of the current challenges, Steinhart emphasizes the need to check the operation of the cash ambulatories and create a real estate concept for the ÖGK in order to achieve spatial optimization. In addition, he calls for increased cooperation with other social security institutions, especially in IT and real estate management. The Social Ministry has already invested in a comprehensive health reform that should ensure that high-quality medical Supply for the population remains guaranteed. This is the largest structural reform in the health sector for decades.
A goal of the reform is the strengthening of the resident area, which is to be achieved by creating additional cash disciples and an expansion of the primary care centers. Patient: Inside should benefit from shorter waiting times and a supply close to home. invested.
claims of the medical association
Steinhart does not see any scope for savings from the doctors and point out that substantial savings by the doctors themselves have already been made. At the same time, he expresses his criticism of the discussion about the medical containers, which the ÖGK describes as unproductive. The doctors are encouraged to prescribe physiotherapy shorter and to a lesser extent, which he classifies as risky. The reduction of diagnostic procedures such as MRI and CT examinations could lead to important diseases.
The proposal to make doctors in an ordination without counting as a separate cash office is encountered. An initiative to create primary care centers "Light", in which doctors cooperate closely with other health professions, is also part of the desired reforms. Steinhart emphasizes that solidarity is necessary to secure guaranteed funds for the health sector.
In summary, it can be said that the discussion about the financial stability of the ÖGK and the necessary reforms in healthcare in Austria is becoming increasingly important. While concrete savings are required, there are concerns from the doctors that the quality of medical care suffers from these measures.| Details | |
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| Ort | Österreich |
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