Health: Cabinet approves relief for family doctors

Health
Cabinet approves relief for family doctors

Better working conditions are intended to help maintain the network of general practitioner practices with a view to the coming wave of retirements. photo

© Stephan Jansen/dpa

General practitioner practices are important for millions of patients – as the first point of contact nearby and guides through the system. Incentives are planned to maintain the network.

Family doctors and General practitioners are to be given better working conditions to ensure local care. This is the aim of a draft law by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) that the Federal Cabinet has initiated.

Specifically, upper limits on remuneration should be lifted for general practitioners, as well as for pediatricians. Among other things, an annual flat rate is to be introduced for the treatment of chronically ill patients who constantly take medication. This is intended to avoid visits to the practice just to pick up prescriptions and create more freedom for treatment overall.

The aim of the plans is also to maintain a comprehensive practice network in view of a further wave of retirements among general practitioners.

dpa

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