At the meeting, the representatives of the federal and state governments as well as the coalition factions agreed to further improve the care of patients in hospitals. In particular, staffing in the care sector is to be improved through additional measures. A nursing supplement is intended to help hospitals employ more nursing staff on a permanent basis. In addition, compensation for rising wage costs as a result of tariff adjustments is to be provided. In order to better protect patients from hospital infections in the future, the hygiene promotion program is to be continued and expanded. This means that more hygiene specialists can be hired and trained, and further training in the field of infectiology is to be expanded so that more specialists will be available in the future. Hospitals are also to be given more support in the area of emergency care in the future.
The measures are to be included in the parliamentary deliberations on the Hospital Structure Act in the Bundestag and Bundesrat.
The federal-state working group on hospital reform has met at regular intervals since May 2014. It includes representatives from the federal and state governments.