According to a survey, the vast majority of employees in Bavaria – namely 80 percent – are in favor of sick leave by telephone. The employees surveyed particularly appreciated the fact that the doctor contact from a distance eliminates the risk of infection and saves time, the health insurance company DAK Bayern announced on Thursday. This was the result of a current special analysis of the DAK health report 2021 “Corona crisis and digitization”, which was published in the summer. “People are open to new, intelligent ways of outpatient medical care,” said Sophie Schwab, head of the state representation of DAK-Gesundheit in Bavaria on Thursday. It is wise to stick to the telephone sick leave, especially in the upcoming winter months of the corona pandemic.
38 percent of the respondents from Bavaria stated that they only went to the doctor’s practice last time because of a sick leave. The vast majority of respondents feared, however, that serious complaints would go undetected during telephone consultation hours and that diseases could be spread, Schwab said. Two-thirds also feared abuse of blue paint. The video consultation hour is seen more positively: 53 percent would like to see an expansion into a digital overall offer, such as online appointments, electronic prescriptions or digital referrals to specialists.
The Federal Joint Committee wants to decide on Thursday about the extension of the telephone sick leave. The special regulation has been in effect with interruptions since March 9, 2020 and was last extended until December 31, 2021. Men and women can call themselves sick for up to seven calendar days for mild colds if there is no suspicion of a corona infection. The sick leave can be extended by another seven days. 1200 employees from all over Bavaria took part in the representative Forsa survey on the DAK Health Report 2021 “Corona crisis and digitization”.