Hospital.Help

Hanover Politicians must consistently implement more patient management. This was demanded today by Thorsten Schmidt, deputy chairman of the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians in Lower Saxony (KVN).

Given the increasing pressure on outpatient care, there is an urgent need for better coordination of treatment processes through a primary physician system, says Schmidt.

The fact that patients can receive all kinds of care at any time will no longer be affordable in the future. The KV vice president pointed to a lack of doctor time due to a lack of junior doctors and a huge bureaucratic burden.

An example of the demonstrable positive effects of controlled care is GP-centered care (HzV). This offers registered patients a reliable contact person for all health-related questions as well as more intensive GP care.

Jan Seeger, deputy chairman of the board of AOK Niedersachsen, agreed. In the future, medical care can only function with effective coordination of patient pathways. However, politicians are still hesitant when it comes to control.

However, the results of a recent HzV study by AOK Lower Saxony showed success in the area of ​​prevention, for example. HzV participants took part in preventive examinations significantly more often and were vaccinated more often than non-enrolled patients.

According to AOK data, the probability of receiving a flu vaccination is 36 percent higher for HzV participants than for non-participants, and 38 percent higher for the shingles vaccination.

Early detection tests, such as skin cancer screenings and colon cancer screenings, are therefore used up to 52 percent more frequently. The frequency of potentially avoidable hospital stays is also lower.

Matthias Berndt, regional chairman of the Lower Saxony General Practitioners’ Association, commented on the figures, saying that it has been shown that coordinated patient care using the HzV produces better results than standard care. This is particularly valuable in a health system that is struggling with under-, over- and incorrect care.

With a view to the influenza season, Berndt appealed to all target groups, i.e. people aged 60 and over, pregnant women, chronically ill people and people in facilities with high public traffic, to get vaccinated. © aha/aerzteblatt.de