Being sick is not an adventure: emergency rooms in the crisis!

The discussion about a legal reform of healthcare in Germany is picking up. The hospital reform of Health Minister Karl Lauterbach is particularly criticized. On December 27, 2024, Dr. Katja Leikert and Max Schad from the CDU/CSU parliamentary group the opportunity to find out about the effects of the reform in the St. Vinzenz Hospital in Hanau. Managing Director Michael Sammet reported on the economic and personnel pressure that the reform exerted on clinics.

A central problem is the shortage of skilled workers, especially in emergency medicine. In Hesse there are only about 142 trained acute and emergency doctors. This leads to concern that the requirements from Berlin cannot be met for the occupation of emergency rooms. The requirement to employ three acute and emergency doctors in emergency rooms is criticized as ineffectively. In addition, the closure of the emergency room in Büdingen has already shown negative effects on the region. According to Leikert and Schad's statements, the reform could set false incentives that endanger the quality of health care.

financial challenges and reform needs

The urgency of the reforms in the health system was also emphasized without endangering patient care. An important concern is the financial resources of the hospitals because the cost increases have not been adequately compensated for. An uncontrolled dying of clinics and the imbalance of the existing houses are identified as urgent problem.

In addition, central challenges such as demographic change and the increasing demands on health care are emphasized in the general discussion about the hospital reform. The need for well -trained personnel and efficient organization in the hospitals represents another hurdle. In addition, many hospitals are counteracting financial burdens from falling reimbursement rates and increasing costs.

Digitization in healthcare, including electronic patient files and telemedicine, offers opportunities, but also requires strict requirements for data protection and data security. In addition, the importance of prevention and early detection is undisputed to reduce the disease loads. Politicians play an important role in the implementation of the necessary reforms in the healthcare system and must become active in view of the challenges in personnel recruitment.

The need for sustainable financing and strengthening patient centering are also central. Detached from the popular thesis, increasingly cooperation between various healthcare actors are crucial to create a coordinated supply landscape. The role of health insurance companies and insurance companies in the financing of health care must also not be underestimated.

An outlook on the future shows both the challenges as well as the opportunities for innovation and improvement in German health care, as well as the importance of quality standards and transparency to ensure trust and patient safety.