Discussion on medical care: “We need better management of the health care system”

»Although the topic of health was a priority during the "While it wasn't so prominent in the Bundestag elections , it is now gaining momentum," said Dorothee Brakmann, Managing Director of Pharma Deutschland, at the beginning of the event. "Please bare your upper body - the German Health system in stress ECG testing,” which the association held yesterday evening in Berlin-Mitte.

At the beginning of the event, Wolfgang Greiner, Professor of Health Economics and Management at Bielefeld University, gave a lecture on the problems facing the German healthcare system and possible solutions.

Against the background of the new federal government taking office, Daniel Bahr, member of the board of Allianz Private Krankenversicherungs-AG and former Federal Minister of Health, Karin Maag, impartial member of the Federal Joint Committee , and Sebastian Wachtarz, Director Government & Public Affairs at the pharmaceutical company AbbVie, the health policy-relevant part of the The coalition agreement , as well as key issues surrounding improved medical care and the financing of the German healthcare system, were also present. Andreas Storm, CEO of DAK-Gesundheit, and Harald Terpe, physician and Green Party politician.

"The primary care system doesn't have to be solely the family doctor, but can simply be a first point of contact," said Harald Terpe. "The way we've set up our outpatient system, there are flaws," said the Green Party politician, recounting how his mother was sent from doctor to doctor without receiving treatment. Inadequate care is a major problem, he added.

"We must avoid unnecessary contact with our family doctors," Storm agreed. No country is as uncontrolled as Germany: people arrive late for treatment, which leads to a loss of quality of life and years of life.

When asked whether a primary care system should be linked to a practice fee, Storm said it wouldn't create a positive feeling among patients. "You have to see if something works before you start charging co-payments."

Could pharmacies also function as a first point of contact? No one had an answer. However, Maag quoted her family doctor: "I would like to see you and then make a diagnosis." Given the shortage of skilled workers, care should not be doctor-based, but rather practice-based, the politician said. There are many professional groups that could be included.