AOK Federal Association
Berlin (ots)
The Association of German University Hospitals (VUD), the Alliance of Large Municipal Hospitals (AKG-Kliniken), the German Cancer Society (DKG) and the health insurance associations are in favor of a quick agreement between the federal and state governments on a clear target for the reform of hospital structures. Together they appeal to the political decision-makers to quickly agree on a reform that leads to a quality-oriented concentration of services at suitable hospitals and significantly reduces the financial pressure to expand services through the introduction of financing for maintenance costs. They also advocate the establishment of nationwide uniform requirements for defined service groups, the definition of clear care roles and a stronger focus of hospital planning on the medical needs of the population. At the same time, the associations warn that failure of the hospital reform would have significant negative consequences for patient care.
From the point of view of the partners involved, the recommendations of the government commission presented in December 2022 are a good basis for creating a sustainable hospital landscape – both for the patients and for the employees in the clinics. However, the goals of improving the quality of care and the security of care for patients must not be watered down during the consultations of the federal states, the Federal Ministry of Health and members of the government coalitions on the implementation of the proposals. From the point of view of the hospital and health insurance associations, the quality-oriented concentration of services in hospitals with adequate staffing and technical equipment can also lead to a more sensible use of highly qualified medical specialists and thus reduce the noticeable effects of the shortage of skilled workers.
The partners are convinced that the planned introduction of advance financing is also suitable for reducing incentives for a volume increase that cannot be justified medically. This gives hospital staff more freedom to provide better care for patients. This serves to ensure security of supply and can help to improve the working conditions, especially for nursing staff in hospitals.
The economic pressure on the hospitals in favor of competition for good care is reduced through nationwide uniform specifications for the structural quality of the service groups. This goal of the reform must not be thwarted by opening clauses and exceptions, so the joint warning of the associations. From the point of view of the VUD, AKG clinics, DKG and health insurance associations, those involved at the federal level should use and further develop the valuable preliminary work on hospital reform in North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony.
A clear reference to the population in hospital planning with a regional coordination function by the maximum care providers is central in order to define clear supply contracts for the hospitals and to secure their economic existence, the partners involved emphasize. They jointly advocate a minimum number of patients based on performance groups in order to achieve needs-based allocation of care offers to suitable hospitals and to ensure high-quality and economical care. Within the framework of state hospital planning, the clinics should be assigned clear care tasks that give patients, employees and referring doctors clear orientation.
The political decision-makers in the federal and state governments are now called upon to jointly assume responsibility for a sustainable hospital landscape and to tackle the implementation of modern inpatient care in Germany on the basis of a common vision. The population and the actors involved in the healthcare system expect timely solutions and a law on hospital reform, with which the necessary reforms can finally be tackled from 2024.
Press contact:
Press contact and information:
AOK Federal Association
Dr. Kai Behrens
Tel.: 030 346462309 or 01520 1563042
E-Mail: [email protected]
Association of University Hospitals in Germany (VUD)
Sebastian Draeger
Tel.: 030 394051719
E-Mail: [email protected]
Alliance of Large Municipal Hospitals (AKG)
Nils Dehne
Tel.: 030 68051537
E-Mail: [email protected]
German Cancer Society (DKG)
Clara Teich
Tel.: 030 322932916
E-Mail: [email protected]
National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV-SV)
Janka Hegemeister
Tel.: 030 2062884200
E-Mail: [email protected]
Association of replacement funds e. V. (vdek)
Michaela Gottfried
Tel.: 030 269311200
E-Mail: [email protected]
BKK umbrella organization
Andrea Roeder
Tel.: 030 2700406202
E-Mail: [email protected]
Not V
Iris Kampf
Tel.: 030 20249132
E-Mail: [email protected]
KNIGHTSHAFT
dr Christiane Krueger
Tel.: 0234 30485200
E-Mail: [email protected]
Social Insurance for Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture (SVLFG)
Martina Opfermann-Kersten
Tel.: 0561 78516183
E-Mail: [email protected]
Original content from: AOK Federal Association, transmitted by news aktuell