Status: 08/31/2022 5:50 p.m
With around 1000 so-called health kiosks, the federal government wants to achieve better medical care in socially disadvantaged regions. Minister Lauterbach presented the plans. There is criticism of the planned financing.
The federal government wants to improve medical care in socially disadvantaged areas – with around 1000 so-called health kiosks throughout Germany. The goals of these facilities – which were already agreed in the coalition agreement – are better, low-threshold medical care and improved prevention. The kiosks are to be erected for every 80,000 people. “The focus must be on the poverty of the district,” said Lauterbach when presenting the plans.
Take blood pressure and refer to doctors
The contact points are to be initiated by the municipalities. The employees should be nurses, nurses for children, elderly people and nurses. They should carry out routine medical examinations such as blood pressure or blood sugar measurements in different languages at the request of a doctor, arrange treatments in medical practices and hospitals, accompany the chronically ill or advise on health issues such as losing weight or smoking cessation. The offer applies to people with and without health insurance, said Lauterbach. Networking with youth welfare offices, family centers, integration centers or district management offices would be sought.
In Germany, neither the wallet nor the place of residence should decide on the treatment of patients, said Lauterbach. He presented the concept at the health kiosk in Hamburg-Billstedt, which has been the first facility of its kind in Germany since 2018 and has been an important contact point for people in the district.
The first health kiosk in Germany in the Hamburg district of Billstedt.
Image: dpa
Funds criticize the financing concept
74.5 percent of the costs for the health kiosks are to be borne by the statutory health insurance, 5.5 percent by the private health insurance companies and 20 percent by the municipalities – which promptly met with criticism.
The AOK Federal Association welcomed the offer in principle. In view of the precarious financial situation of the health insurers, Carola Reimann, chairwoman of the board, said it was not feasible for the health kiosks to be financed primarily by statutory health insurance. At least half of the funds should come from the public purse, she demanded.
The director of the Association of Private Health Insurance, Florian Reuther, said the proposed health kiosks are the responsibility of the public health service “and should be fully funded by states and municipalities”.