Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) has announced further reforms Care announced. on ZDFPrabhat Magazine He talked about wanting to start “outpatient” care. It should be a mix of inpatient and outpatient care.
“We will introduce a new form of care: outpatient care,” the minister said. This should help. “People who now have to go into inpatient care can stay in their own four walls, but they will still receive the same type of care they would have received if they were inpatients.” The aim is to avoid the need for inpatient care at all.
Most people in need of care in Germany currently receive outpatient care. Of the 5.2 million people in need of care, this applied to 84 percent at the end of 2023, a total of 4.4 million people. 3.1 million people were cared for mainly by relatives. 700,000 people (13 percent) were cared for as inpatients and around 140,000 people (3 percent) were cared for in inpatient integration support facilities.
Criticism of the Nursing Council and patient safety
The German Nursing Council reacted cautiously to the concept. “We support new forms of care and are happy to be involved in innovations,” nursing expert Thomas Meissner told the KNA news agency. “However, the main problems of care are not solved by outpatient care.”
Meissner pointed to a major shortage of skilled personnel and suitable premises. In addition, inpatient and outpatient areas in Germany are strictly separated from a legal and insurance perspective. To enable mixed forms, numerous regulatory reforms are needed. Meissner mentioned the existing model of retirement communities. They are now so heavily regulated by law, for example on fire safety or hygiene, that all flexibility is gone.
Nursing homes are becoming more expensive
The German Foundation for Patient Protection had talked of “cloud cuckoo homes” that do not stand up to reality. “Because this model would be more expensive than any nursing place, ultimately, a network of mobile nursing staff should be available, who can be called upon at short notice,” said board member Eugen Brisch. With this proposal, the minister is distracting attention from the fact that there are neither sufficient additional nursing staff nor can people finance “outpatient” care themselves. “It is not helpful to always come up with new ideas and end up doing nothing.”
People in need of care at home also have to pay more and more for their own care. According to the latest data from the Association of Substitute Insurance Funds, the contributions paid by residents themselves have increased again. As of July 1, people in need of care pay a monthly personal contribution of 2,871 euros in the first year of their stay. This is 211 euros more than a year ago.
More on the topic
Z+ (subscription content); Nursing Policy
,
Free care for all? Nothing is more unfair
Z+ (subscription content); for those in need of care
,
Well-groomed laziness
Z+ (subscription content); Care
,
The only thing that’s skyrocketing is the cost of care
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) has announced further reforms Care announced. on ZDFPrabhat Magazine He talked about wanting to start “outpatient” care. It should be a mix of inpatient and outpatient care.
“We will introduce a new form of care: outpatient care,” the minister said. This should help. “People who now have to go into inpatient care can stay in their own four walls, but they will still receive the same type of care they would have received if they were inpatients.” The aim is to avoid the need for inpatient care at all.