The medical profession’s criticism of the Appointment Service Act increased Spahn very seriously: “They perceive it as an interference in their everyday practice that we stipulate how many consultation hours must be offered. I got that. But we have to improve the situation so that patients can get appointments faster.” For this, solutions were worked out together and suggestions from the medical profession were also included, said Spahn.
Use the opportunities of digitization
Spahn once again expressly welcomed the decision of the last Doctors’ Day to pave the way for remote treatment of patients. “It is right and important that even the evaluation committee is now dealing with the remuneration for online treatment. Because the digitization of the healthcare system will not be stopped. We have to shape it and seize the opportunities. Help us shape it for the benefit of the patients”, said Spahn. The recently presented draft bill for the “Digital Care Act” should make it easier to use telemedicine offers such as video consultations. It will also be possible for doctors to prescribe health apps like medicines in the future.
In addition, the law stipulates that doctors will save patient data in an electronic patient file in the foreseeable future if the patient so wishes. Health insurance companies must offer their insured persons an electronic patient record (ePA) by January 1st, 2021 at the latest. The creation and management of the ePA by the doctors is also remunerated. In addition, the ePA is becoming more comprehensive: if you want, you can also have the vaccination card, the maternity card, the yellow U booklet for children and the tooth bonus booklet saved in it. Spahn appealed to the doctors to help shape technical progress in the practices: “The patient of tomorrow will still need a doctor. But he will no longer take any doctor seriously who only works with index cards.”said Spahn.
At the end of his speech, Spahn thanked the resigning President of the German Medical Association and the German Medical Association, Professor Frank Ulrich Montgomery: “You’ve done a lot of good for healthcare over the years. I have always found working with you, as President of the German Medical Association, to be very constructive. They leave big footprints.”
The German Doctors’ Day is the general meeting of the German Medical Association, the »parliament of the medical profession«, and takes place once a year. The 122nd German Doctors’ Day from May 28th to 31st in Münster focuses on the occupational health of doctors.