Emergency care in Germany: Emergency services suffer from abuse and false incentives

Emergency care in Germany: Emergency services suffer from abuse and false incentives

According to a report by www.faz.net, the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians warns of possible bottlenecks in emergency care following the planned reform by Health Minister Lauterbach. There could be a shortage of 280 rescue centers, meaning a sixth of the population would have to drive longer than thirty minutes to the nearest rescue center.

German emergency care is already suffering from various problems. In addition to a lack of personnel and inconsistent quality requirements, financial disincentives and unnecessary deployments lead to inefficient use of emergency services. A third of trips are classified as minor incidents, leading to ambulances being used as free taxis to get into the city. This abuse is often not prosecuted because it involves a lot of effort.

Another problem is that many patients visit the emergency service out of frustration and desperation because they cannot get doctor's appointments. Citizens often do not know the number of the on-call medical service, which is why they call the emergency number.

The possible bottlenecks in emergency care could exacerbate the already existing problems in German emergency care. A lack of rescue centers would lead to longer waiting times and increased pressure on the remaining facilities. It is therefore important that the proposed reform is carefully considered and planned to avoid negative impacts on emergency care.