Most of the insured, who seek emergency care in a hospital, would have been adequately treated in an outpatient setting, and thus in a primary care practice as well. This is the result of a survey by the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds, as reported by the newspapers of the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” (Sunday editions).
According to the survey, 60% of those questioned, who had visited the emergency department within the past 12 months, were treated on an outpatient basis. 40% were admitted to the hospital. 28% of those who had visited the emergency department were aware, according to the survey, that they could have been treated in a doctor’s practice as well.
60% of those questioned, however, believed the hospital visit was necessary. 12% did not know. For those who went to the hospital despite knowing they could have been treated in a primary care setting, the problem of getting a timely appointment with a general practitioner played the decisive role.
This highlights the answer to the question of whether the insured would have forgone the hospital visit if they had received a timely appointment through the appointment service within 48 hours. 58% of the respondents said yes, and 42% no.
“If insured individuals only seek emergency care in a hospital because they cannot get a doctor’s appointment, then something is seriously wrong” said the deputy chair of the Association, Stefanie Stoff-Ahnis, to RND.
Those seeking help must be quickly and precisely directed to where they can be medically treated, and this should be available 24/7, the Association’s representative warned. She called on the next federal government to finally implement a reform of emergency care.
The survey reportedly questioned around 3,500 insured individuals, aged 18 to 80, in the period from March to April 2024.