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“Disaster situation”: More children, but fewer hospital beds in MV
Rostock. Dramatic development in medical care for the youngest in MV: The number of hospital beds for children and young people has fallen sharply. Experts sound the alarm: Children should not only be seen as a cost factor.
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The number of hospital beds for children and adolescents in the Northeast has fallen by about 15 percent since 2010: from 828 to 704 – this is how the Federal Statistical Office answered a question from federal MP Dietmar Bartsch (left). The figures include all specialist departments for pediatric medicine at the 36 hospitals. And this despite the fact that nationwide in the same period there was an increase of seven percent of children under 18, right now around 230,000.
Doctor: “Pediatrics can not be scheduled”
Hagen Strassburger, pediatrician from Rostock
© Source: Ove Arscholl
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“A catastrophic condition” is this, says Rostock pediatrician Hagen Straßburger, professional association of pediatricians MV. The cause and error lies in the financing system. Hospital services have been billed at the fixed rates of the case for about 15 years. A clinic only gets paid for treating pneumonia; even though she previously examined patients in many other directions. Clear task is difficult with children, the diagnosis is often complex. “Pediatrics can not be planned.”
Pediatric wards in 17 clinics
With about 15 per cent the number of hospital beds for pediatrics decreased between 2010 and 2020: from 828 to 704. The number of children under the age of 18, on the other hand, increased from 210,476 to 230,498 in the same period. hospitals fell: from 50,581 in 2010 to 38,067 in 2020.
16 of the 37 hospitals nationwide, there are special wards for children. These are: Sana Bergen and Wismar, Demmin, University Medicine Greifswald, KMG Güstrow, Hagenow, Karlsburg, Neubrandenburg, Asklepios Parchim and Pasewalk, University Medicine Rostock, Klinikum Südstadt Rostock, Helios Schwerin and Stralsund, Ameos Ueckermünde / Wkllin, Medicl.
Sources: Federal Statistical Office / Ministry of Health MV
The fixed rates of the case would also have led to “outpatient treatment”. This means that diseases are increasingly not being treated on the ward. This reduces the length of stay in clinics in general. Consequence: reduction of beds. This is confirmed by Uwe Borchmann, MV Hospital Society. The need for inpatient treatment has decreased. “We can simply treat more outpatients.”
Also read our author’s comment: It can not just be about the money
Pediatrician Straßburger sees great dangers in this. Those who suffer are children with the most serious diseases. Cases of congenital heart defects are no longer treated for MV due to lack of capacity. In addition, there is a lack of young doctors. Straßburger’s wish: The Land Government should provide more financial support for children’s medicines. They belong outside the system with fixed tariffs per. sag. Clinics would be forced to save.
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“The medical care of children must no longer run under the radar,” explains politician Bartsch. Nationwide, many hospital beds have been reduced. “A serious mistake in health policy.” Bartsch is taking on the task of Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD), calling for higher staffing requirements and better pay for nursing staff. Lauterbach just explained in Rostock: “We have new proposals for how we can fund pediatric medicine outside the fixed payment system.” He did not say how.
Ministry: Fixed rate system unsuitable for pediatric medicine
The Ministry of Health in Schwerin confirms a nationwide reduction in beds in pediatric medicine. The system of fixed rates in pediatric medicine is “not sufficient and needs to be revised,” said spokesman Alexander Kujat. MV has taken steps in the Federal Council. The lack of staff is also a big problem. Improvements in medical care should advise an expert commission from August. Pediatric medicine has “a special meaning”.
By Frank Pubantz