Against savings, the medical association has demands for the next government

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The medical association presented its demands to the new federal government on Monday. It’s about investments instead of savings in the healthcare system, incentives instead of restrictions for doctors, securing the drug supply and concerns about artificial intelligence.

Chamber boss Johannes Steinhart does not necessarily want a doctor as the next Minister of Health, and he has also not mentioned any coalition preferences.

Criticism is expressed about the ‘fatal consequences’ of austerity
A well-functioning health care system costs money and is not available cheaply, Steinhart emphasized during a press conference following the start of the discussion about the austerity package. From his point of view, the ‘fatal consequences’ of the cost control process of recent years must be corrected. Construction issues such as the lack of health insurance contracts, staff shortages in hospitals and unreasonable waiting times for patients need to be urgently addressed. Steinhart could also imagine binding patient guidance, in which he would assign doctors a central role.

Mandatory service “dark red line for us”
If you want to shorten waiting times, you also need to ensure that employees remain in the system. A mandatory obligation to serve in the public health system “is a dark red line for us,” the medical president emphasized. What is even more necessary are the internationally competitive preconditions for the practice of the profession.

Steinhart once again warned against sell-outs or “corporatization” in the healthcare sector. For Steinhart, the sale of the VAMED rehabilitation clinics shows how virulent this issue is. It is important that medical guidelines dominate patient care. Other topics for him: The supply of medicines must be secured, also through production in Europe and Austria. Risks must be kept to a minimum during digitalization. Artificial intelligence offers enormous opportunities, but the ultimate responsibility must always lie with the doctor.

Medical Association dissatisfied with Rauch’s performance
Steinhart expressed no preference about the composition of the coming coalition. He was also open about the next head of the health department. “We’ve had the same debates with doctors,” he said when asked if he would prefer a doctor in the position. He found few positive words for the current Minister of Health Johannes Rauch (Greens) and the outgoing turquoise green federal government in general, also restricting the powers of the medical associations during the negotiations on financial equalization. In view of the latest decisions, the chairman of the Medical Association said that he “actually doesn’t want anything” to continue in the new legislature that is now starting.

Source: Krone

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