The president of the German Medical Association, Klaus Reinhardt, stated that if illness certification were to become mandatory starting from the first day of sickness, the option for telephonic sick notes should be maintained for established patients.
Speaking to the media group Funke, Reinhardt argued that if politicians insist on this new plan, “at least a telephonic sick note must remain possible for patients who are known to the doctor’s office.” He pointed out that such telephonic assessments “only account for about 1.2 percent of all sick leave days” and serve the purpose of keeping individuals with minor infections away from crowded doctor’s waiting rooms. Because of this benefit, he insisted the system should be kept.
Furthermore, Reinhardt suggested that video consultations could also be beneficial. “We already use them today, especially with patients we know. However, I would neither declare a completely unknown patient sick by phone nor via video,” he clarified.
Despite these specific recommendations, Reinhardt fundamentally disagrees with the planned mandate for documentation starting on day one. He asserted that German work ethic is not decided within German medical practices and that requiring a sick note from day one would not change this.
Instead, he emphasized that the frequency of sickness among Germans is determined by conditions within the workplace. “Sickness levels are also highly dependent on the company climate, recognition, working conditions, and the ability to participate in decisions,” Reinhardt stated. If policymakers genuinely wish to reduce the rate of sick leave, he urged them to consider alternative approaches. He concluded by adding that while they could discuss broader framework conditions, such as quarantine days, the solution was elsewhere.
