KVB representatives' meeting demands: Implement reforms only with the participation of the local residents

30.03.2023 17:57

The planned reforms in the hospital sector and emergency care as well as the digitalization of the healthcare system were the focus of the representative meeting (VV) of the Bavarian Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KVB), which took place on March 18th in Munich. The representation of practicing doctors and psychotherapists in Bavaria clearly criticized the federal government and in particular Federal Health Minister Professor Karl Lauterbach.

Its interest lies exclusively in the inpatient area; the worries and needs of outpatient doctors and psychotherapists as well as their teams in the practices are criminally neglected by federal policy. The VV unanimously passed under the leadership of chairwoman Dr. Petra Reis-Berkowicz a resolution in which the government commission's proposals for a reform of emergency care are rejected and in which the participation of established doctors is called for. The VV of the KVB also unanimously passed a resolution on the EU Commission's plans for a European Health Data Space (EHDS). In the resolution, the VV of the KVB demands, among other things, the unconditional right of patients to object to the planned registration of their most intimate health data in the EHDS. This is not provided for in the current draft from the EU Commission.

Experiences of the experts from the practices are not taken into account

When it comes to federal policy, the KVB board criticizes the fact that the experiences of the experts from the practices have not yet been taken into account in any way when planning the necessary reform of emergency care. Rather, in view of the reform commission's proposals, one has the impression, according to the KVB board, “that patients who jump around in the system uncontrolled should be rewarded.” The KVB board's verdict on the hospital reform is also negative: “The practices “We have to bleed so that hospitals that are making losses and are not urgently needed to provide care can be kept alive.” Another example of a failed federal health policy strategy is the planned health kiosks, which are to be set up across the board and managed by nursing staff. Not only does the question arise as to who actually needs such expensive parallel structures to the practices of resident doctors. It is also questionable where suitable staff for the health kiosks would come from given the rampant shortage of skilled workers.

Comprehensive supply of emergency doctors at risk

The KVB board also announced that it would be committed to significantly better remuneration for the highly demanding emergency doctor service in the upcoming negotiations with the health insurance companies and appealed to the health insurance companies to work together to design care constructively, as the nationwide supply of emergency doctors is at risk. He also called for greater use of the electronic appointment service (eTS) of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians and the Associations of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians. A corresponding information package for practices is currently being prepared. This is also necessary because reporting available appointments via the eTS is one of the compensation options for the loss of an
urgently needed GKV new patient regulation.

Free admission options for psychotherapists

With regard to psychotherapeutic care, the KVB board criticized statements from the Federal Ministry of Health that there was no acute need for action due to the increasing number of psychotherapists and a revision of the requirements planning guidelines in 2019. The opposite is the case, as the analysis of the billing data by the KVB has shown: On average in Bavaria, 97 days pass from the first consultation to the start of psychotherapy and in the meantime there are seven contacts between the patient and the psychotherapist. In individual, particularly rural regions of Bavaria, waiting times are quite longer. From the perspective of the KVB Board of Directors, the enormous increase in requests for psychotherapeutic care at the KVB's appointment service point also indicates that there is an urgent need for political action here. The KVB should promote free admission opportunities for psychotherapists, but also for child and adolescent psychiatrists in the relevant regions more strongly in the future.