Hospital.Help

Königs Wusterhausen – In the future, there will be financial incentives for hospitals to offer further training. This was announced today by Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) during a visit to the Achenbach Hospital of the Dahme-Spreewald Clinic in Königs Wusterhausen.

The way in which further training is financed in the future must be redesigned as part of the hospital reform, explained the minister. “It cannot be the case that hospitals that do not participate in further training are paid the same as hospitals that do,” he said.

It is important not to finance further training through subsidized projects, but to do so routinely. Offering further training must be worthwhile for hospitals, stressed Lauterbach. Innovative further training concepts must also be taken into account in the planned flat-rate provision.

Lauterbach said that this was also discussed today in rapporteur talks with the government factions in the Bundestag. He further promised that the regulation on the financing of further training would be included in the Hospital Care Improvement Act (KHVVG).

He said that it was particularly important for pediatrics to implement appropriate incentives in the law. Lauterbach, however, left open how exactly these incentives could be implemented.

The KHVVG is currently being debated in the Bundestag, and a hearing of experts is planned for September 25. The law is to be discussed in the 2nd/3rd reading on October 18. Young doctors have repeatedly called for financial representation of further training in the past.

Too few medical staff

The pediatrician at the MVZ Dahme-Spreewald, Anne Mösch, had previously described to Minister Lauterbach the problem of finding enough medical staff. There are too few colleagues working in pediatric outpatient settings, she said. In the Dahme-Spreewald region, there is a large influx of young families in particular.

For this population, the number of pediatricians is not sufficient, said Mösch. Working with children also takes longer than with adults, and “assembly line work” is not possible, she explained. More capacity for medical colleagues would also relieve the burden on the emergency department.

In addition, many children from Berlin are also being cared for at the Dahme-Spreewald hospital, added Oliver Polley, senior physician in pediatrics. “Brandenburg is also working for Berlin and not just the other way around,” said Brandenburg Health Minister Ursula Nonnemacher (Greens).

Lauterbach explained that he had chosen the Dahme-Spreewald Clinic for his “big hospital tour” because the continuing education at this location is “exemplarily organized” and the medical care for children and young people is very good.

Further education network dependent on funding

The Dahme-Spreewald district medical training network is located at the clinic, which links regional training centers in the outpatient and inpatient sectors.

The network acts as a contact and mediator for those undergoing further training as well as for the network members. It also serves as an interface between the State Medical Association, the Brandenburg Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians and the municipalities, explained the network coordinator, Beatrice Hertel.

The network is financed through grants, she continued. According to Hertel, however, there is a lack of secure funding outside of the general practice sector. This has already cost one or two training positions in dermatology or pediatrics, for example, said Hertel. In addition, there are too few training authorizations, she complained.

Lauterbach explained today that they are also in close coordination with the German Medical Association (BÄK) and the Marburger Bund regarding the planned reform of the nationwide model training regulations. This is to be coordinated with the hospital reform to the planned service groups and the requirements for specialists defined therein.

The children’s and youth clinics will also benefit from additional payments that will be implemented and made permanent with the KHVVG, explained Lauterbach. Further additional payments are being planned in the areas of emergency care, obstetrics and intensive care. In addition, better needs planning for child and youth psychiatry is being prepared. This is to be incorporated into the Health Care Strengthening Act (GVSG), said Lauterbach. © cmk/aerzteblatt.de