The Federal Cabinet gave the green light for the overhaul of emergency medical care, spearheaded by Federal Minister of Health Nina Warken (CDU). Speaking in Berlin on Wednesday, the minister stated that this effort marks the third attempt, but this legislative period will ensure its success. “With today’s resolution, we are creating the foundation for a networked, digital, and standardized emergency care system” she said.
She explained that the goal is to ensure that the entire population can count on a comprehensive emergency response capable of providing swift assistance in critical situations. However, she added that not every concern needs to be treated in a hospital. Therefore, the reform aims to be another structural element to better guide those seeking help through the healthcare system to the most appropriate level of care. This, she suggested, would provide relief to emergency rooms as well as ambulance services.
According to Warken, the reform aims for an emergency care system that is “needs-based, of high quality, and economically viable, organized across sectors while considering regional specifics”. By improving the networking of all service providers, digitalizing processes, and implementing digitally supported initial assessment methods, the reforms aim to achieve more targeted patient management and thus a more appropriately utilized emergency facility infrastructure.
The regulations include the reallocation of the 116117 hotline number into separate services for appointment scheduling and acute triage centers. New digital, networked Integrated Emergency Centers will also be established, and medical emergency rescue will be legally codified as a service provided by the statutory health insurance system. Furthermore, a specialized panel will be set up to ensure nationwide quality and standards for medical emergency rescue.
Concerns have already been voiced by the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV). In a statement reported by the “Rheinische Post” the board members-Andreas Gassen, Stephan Hofmeister, and Sibylle Steiner-criticized the plans, stating, “This doesn’t fit together at all: On one hand, the Federal Ministry of Health intends to remove five billion euros from the outpatient sector through its so-called GKV stabilization law, yet on the other hand, this emergency reform draft massively expands service promises in an unsustainable manner”.
The board further criticized the draft law for compelling the local chambers of physicians to provide both telemedicine and outreach care “constantly-meaning 24/7”. Gassen, Hofmeister, and Steiner argued that “there are no personnel resources for such multiple structures, as we have repeatedly stated beforehand. It does no good to write it into the law anyway”. They concluded that the situation is “even worse because politics is making promises to the public that cannot be kept. If billions are withdrawn from patient care, service restrictions are unavoidable”.
