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Criticism of emergency practice closure: Ehlert warns of chaos in Mettmann
Detlef Ehlert criticizes the closure of emergency practices in the Mettmann district and warns that the hospital is overloaded.
Criticism of emergency practice closure: Ehlert warns of chaos in Mettmann
Health care in the Mettmann district is currently in jeopardy. Detlef Ehlert, the SPD parliamentary group leader in the Erkrath Council, spoke out loudly RP Online vehemently opposed the planned closure of the emergency practices in Ratingen and Langenfeld. Ehlert sees this decision as a further blow to health care in the region and warns of the consequences that could result from it.
What is particularly worrying is the overload of the outpatient department at Mettmann Hospital, which could result from the closure. From December 1st, the emergency practice in Ratingen will be closed and instead located at EVK Mettmann. But that's not all: This practice should be responsible for the entire south of the Mettmann district, including communities such as Monheim and Langenfeld. This leads to a massive additional burden on the EVK, which would result in longer waiting times and longer journeys for patients from the southern district.
Protests and demands
Ehlert declared his solidarity with the letter of protest from District Administrator Thomas Hendele (CDU), which was addressed to the North Rhine Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KVNO). Hendele appeals to the State Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU) to find solutions that do not further endanger health care in the region.
The upcoming move of the emergency practice also raises questions regarding the emergency service organization. The KVNO operates the statutory health insurance on-call service, which patients can reach on the nationwide number 11 6 11 7. Here you can find information about outpatient emergency services that are available in your area. Between 300 and 400 doctors are normally on duty on weekdays, and even up to 700 on weekends. But how long will this capacity be sufficient if more and more patients have to flow into the practices?
Patients in focus
Another problem is the lack of communication between the different medical facilities. According to the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV), this could be improved by introducing electronic patient files. In an ideal situation, multimorbid patients in particular should find better orientation in the healthcare system, which is currently not the case.
The majority of patients adhere to the rules and turn to their family doctors or specialists with confidence. But what happens when capacity runs out? This shows how important a well-functioning emergency system is in order to avoid incorrect care and to ensure comprehensive health care KBV had to determine.
Overall, it is clear that the closure of emergency practices is not just a local problem, but has an impact on the entire healthcare system. The alarming voices and warnings from politics and the health sector are a strong indication that there is an urgent need for action to ensure that citizens continue to receive care in the future.