Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach currently wants to relieve heavily strained hospitals of administrative work. “High levels of sick leave and an unprecedented wave of infections are putting pressure on children’s hospitals in particular,” said the SPD politician to the editorial network Germany.
Therefore, in addition to financial help, the staff should be noticeably relieved of additional bureaucracy. “Children in particular should not have to stay in the hospital just to complete billing formalities.”
Lauterbach made it clear that the health insurance companies would be asked, among other things, to suspend examinations by the medical service until the end of January 2023. This could create further urgently needed treatment capacities and relieve staff on all wards of documentation.
Many children’s practices and children’s wards are currently overcrowded due to a wave of respiratory infections. Regardless of the acute crisis, the Bundestag had passed a legislative package on hospitals that is intended to bring more money for children’s clinics and relief for urgently needed nursing staff. There should be an additional 300 million euros each for children’s hospitals in 2023 and 2024.
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