After extensive discussions and negotiations, the hospital reform in Germany is finally taking shape in the northern regions of Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein. According to NDR information, both states have assigned a crucial task to the Medical Service: the examination of new service groups within hospitals.
Medical Service to Verify New Service Groups
The Medical Service’s primary responsibility will be to scrutinize the 65 new service groups, which are a cornerstone of the hospital reform. These groups are designed to define the specific medical specializations of each clinic, encompassing areas such as emergency medicine, pediatric and adolescent surgery, or ophthalmology.
New Regulations for Clinics
Every hospital in Germany is now required to declare which service groups it intends to offer. This is where the Medical Service plays a vital role: its experts will assess whether a hospital meets all the necessary prerequisites for each declared service group. This includes verifying the availability of sufficient specialist doctors and nurses, as well as adequate experience, particularly for complex surgical procedures. Hospitals that fail to meet these stringent requirements will generally not be permitted to bill health insurance providers for these specific services.
Schlotzhauer Hails Reform as a ‘Milestone’
Melanie Schlotzhauer (SPD), Hamburg’s Senator for Social Affairs, has lauded the hospital reform as a significant ‘milestone.’ Her counterpart in Schleswig-Holstein, Kerstin von der Decken (CDU), praised the extensive expertise of the Medical Service. The service is funded by health and long-term care insurance funds but operates independently, free from external directives.
Ensuring Quality and Specialization
The implementation of these new service groups aims to enhance the quality of medical care by ensuring that hospitals possess the necessary resources and expertise for the treatments they provide. This move is expected to lead to a more specialized and efficient healthcare system, where patients can be confident that they are receiving care from facilities that are fully equipped and experienced in their specific medical needs.
Impact on Healthcare Landscape
This initiative represents a fundamental shift in how hospital services are organized and funded, emphasizing quality assurance and specialization. The Medical Service’s independent assessment mechanism is designed to prevent hospitals from offering services for which they are not adequately prepared, thereby protecting patients and optimizing resource allocation within the healthcare system.
Future Outlook
The successful implementation of this phase in Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein could serve as a model for other federal states as the hospital reform progresses nationwide. The focus on defining and verifying service groups is a critical step towards a more transparent, efficient, and patient-centered healthcare landscape in Germany.
Source: https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/hamburg/krankenhaus-reform-medizinischer-dienst-soll-leistungsgruppen-pruefen,krankenhausreform-134.html
