Health association leader issues alert on potential 'shortage crisis' in healthcare supplies. - President issues alert about potential shortage in resources
German Health System Faces Potential Supply Crisis, Warns President of Medical Association
In a stark warning, the President of the German Medical Association, Klaus Reinhardt, has highlighted the impending risks to Germany's healthcare system due to a potential supply crisis. Speaking to the German Press Agency, he expressed concern over potential shortages of medicines and healthcare infrastructure if decisive action is not taken to reform the system.
Reinhardt emphasized the need for better steering in healthcare. He suggested that it should become standard practice for patients to register with a general practitioner's practice, which would then coordinate further treatment. Improved efficiency, he believes, is crucial to avoided a supply crisis.
These concerns are set to be at the forefront at the German Medical Assembly, which begins in Leipzig on Tuesday, with the new Federal Minister of Health, Nina Warken (CDU), expected to attend.
The issue of inefficient care is not new. In Germany, patients typically manage their own care coordination. Reinhardt pointed out that this system disproportionately impacts vulnerable groups, including the elderly, chronically ill, and those with lower health literacy. Germany has one of the highest rates of doctor contacts per capita globally, with an average of 9.6 contacts per year.
However, the German Foundation for Patient Protection views the proposed patient-steering solution as premature. Eugen Brysch, the foundation's director, stated that it is unproductive for the German Medical Association and the federal government to demand patient steering without addressing the issue of contractually guaranteed weekly 25 hours of presence for insured patients and the accessibility of telephonic consultations.
Brysch also highlighted an imbalance in the distribution of healthcare services, with urban areas often being over-supplied and rural areas underserved, where 60 percent of the population resides. He described the supply crisis as self-inflicted.
Reinhardt presented his model, which emphasizes that referrals by general practitioners should not serve as access control but rather occur when specialist care is necessary. The long-term strategic approach he proposes is "digital before outpatient before inpatient," with patients being assessed and consulted digitally, followed by care in practices and, if necessary, hospitals.
The challenges and proposed solutions to the potential supply crisis in Germany's healthcare system are currently under discussion at both a national and EU level. These discussions are focused on bolstering local supply chains, reforming regulations, enhancing community pharmacies, modernizing the healthcare system, and ongoing dialogues aimed at preserving supply security and fostering personalized medicine. Despite the proposed measures, significant hurdles, particularly financial and demographic, remain.
- In light of the potential supply crisis in Germany's healthcare system, there is a need for the EC countries to consider implementing similar reforms in their vocational training programs, focusing on healthcare professionals, to address the impending shortages of medicines and healthcare infrastructure.
- The ongoing supply crisis in Germany's healthcare system raises concerns about the health-and-wellness of its citizens, particularly the elderly, chronically ill, and those with lower health literacy, who disproportionately struggle with the current system of self-coordinated care.
- As the discussion on bolstering supply chains and reforming regulations in Germany's healthcare system moves beyond national borders, policy-and-legislation discussions at the EU level are focusing on enhancing community pharmacies, modernizing the healthcare system, and fostering personalized medicine, all with an aim to preserve supply security and address medical-conditions effectively.
