Professional Association for Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery eV
Berlin (ots)
The Professional Association for Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery (BVOU eV) reacted with criticism to the approving decision of the traffic light coalition that hospitals may no longer refer cases to practices in the future. For this Dr. Burkhard Lembeck, BVOU President: “All efforts to relieve the hospital staff, all efforts to focus on real emergencies are thwarted. One acts against the recommendations of the government commission and against the expertise of the professional societies. A lesson in unreality!”
The background is an amendment by the traffic light coalition, which was introduced without prior notice in the draft of a law on support and relief in care (Care Support and Relief Act – PUEG). The approval took place on Friday, May 26, 2023.
The Federal Joint Committee (GBA) was commissioned in advance to create guidelines for a qualified and standardized initial assessment of medical care needs, which should determine the criteria according to which the various levels of care should be controlled. In addition to the treatment of severe cases in the emergency room of a hospital, it was planned that patients would be referred to emergency services or specialist practices depending on the time of day as a result of this qualified initial assessment.
According to the changes made by the traffic light coalition at the last minute, patients who visit the emergency department of hospitals without being classic emergencies should only be treated further in the hospital or in emergency practices at the hospital. It should no longer be possible to forward it to the statutory health insurance.
“The work of the GBA, which is working intensively on a proposal for the reorganization of emergency care and which is already well advanced, is counteracted with this amendment and self-administration is undermined overall,” warns Dr. Burkhard Lembeck. “Many non-emergency patients are already accumulating in the hospitals. This situation is exponentially exacerbated by the current proposed amendment.”
The BVOU President’s proposal for emergency reform: “Orthopaedists and trauma surgeons have long been calling for a focus on real emergencies, relief by removing trifles and protecting colleagues who work 24/7. We find that the staff who work around the clock is working, the colleagues in the trauma room have no lobby! In addition to the polytrauma, you should also take care of the ingrown toenail at night. At some point, even the last motivated employee will have left the system!”
Last autumn, the BVOU, with the support of the DGOU (German Society for Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery), drew up a key issues paper on outpatient care in emergencies in orthopedics and trauma surgery, which is also supported by the Professional Association of German Surgeons eV (BDC). In addition to a comprehensive analysis, it provides the cornerstones for guideline-based care and offers concrete, easy-to-implement solutions to relieve the emergency room. In this proposal, the qualified initial assessment should also be possible by telephone, eg via the emergency number 116 117, and emergency patients should be referred to the appropriate care structure. This is the only way to conserve resources and avoid overload peaks in the supply levels.
dr Lembeck criticizes: “The proposals of the professional societies and professional associations, the expertise of the government commission on the reform of emergency care are nullified with the decision!”
Further information and key issues paper on emergency care: www.bvou.net/positionspapier-notfallversorgung
About the BVOU:
The Professional Association for Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery eV (BVOU) is the professional political representation for more than 7,000 colleagues working in practices and clinics. The BVOU enforces the professional interests of its members by developing the standard of orthopedic trauma surgery care together with the scientific societies for the benefit of the patients and the common good, which shapes the political and economic framework conditions and thereby the public perception of its members as experts for orthopedic trauma surgery care designed.
Contact for questions:
Janosch Kuno
106 – 108 June 17th Street
10623 Berlin
[email protected]
www.bvou.net
Original content from: Professional Association for Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery eV, transmitted by news aktuell