Thousands of German family physicians and specialists staged a protest on Monday by keeping their clinics closed, in opposition to the federal government’s health policies. The German Medical Doctors Association claimed that the government’s policies were focused on cost-cutting rather than patient care.
The protest was initiated by the German Resident Doctors Association (Virchowbund) and received support from nearly 20 physician associations and health insurance physician associations. The German Hospital Doctors Association predicted that tens of thousands of clinics would remain closed across the country.
The protest website highlighted the long-term imposition of “painful austerity measures” by politicians and health insurance companies. The aim of the protest was to draw attention to issues such as the shortage of medical professionals, excessive bureaucracy, inflation, high energy costs, and the government’s austerity policies.
Dirk Heinrich, president of the German Association of Resident Doctors, voiced concerns that clinics were no longer able to provide optimal care for patients due to the impact of austerity measures and service cuts. He pointed out that the removal of the “new patient rule” earlier this year had limited the number of available appointments for patients. Heinrich demanded that the initiative be reinstated.
In response to the protest, Social Democratic Federal Health Minister Lauterbach questioned the need for increased funding. Lauterbach emphasized the average annual income of physicians, after deducting costs, was 230,000 euros. He asked whether employee contribution rates should be increased to sustain wage growth.
The German Doctors Association criticized Lauterbach for ignoring the concerns of clinic doctors and focusing solely on hospitals. The association disputed Lauterbach’s claims about physicians’ income, stating that the actual annual surplus was 172,903 euros, with a net income of 85,555 euros after deducting pensions, health insurance, nursing insurance, and income tax.
The Hesse presidents of the German Association of Health Insurance Physicians (KV) expressed their worries about the collapse of medical clinics and outpatient care in Germany, particularly in Hesse.
The Association of Physicians with Statutory Health Insurance (KBV) assured that despite the protests, clinics were required to provide comprehensive medical emergency services. The day of protests was followed by Germany’s National Day on Tuesday.
Anyone in need of urgent medical attention could call the patient service phone number, 116117 (without the area code), before the clinics reopened on Wednesday.
The German Hospital Doctors Association president, Heinrich, reiterated that patients with urgent needs would be taken care of during the protests.
(dpa)