As the Ministry of Health announced, 300 applications have already been received for one of the new positions. Federal Curia Chairman Edgar Wutscher: “We currently have massive supply problems; regardless of the 100 additional cash register positions, almost 300 positions are still unfilled.” And these unfilled positions should not be ignored by the current applications, said Wutscher in a broadcast on Saturday.
“The problem can only be solved with a whole package of measures”
The problem is a profound one that can only be solved with a whole package of measures. In addition, it is not possible to judge how targeted the applications are from the number of applicants alone, added Dietmar Bayer, deputy federal chairman of the resident doctors. This does not show how many of them are general practitioners and are available in the regions in which the search is being carried out, or how many even meet the required criteria for a position as a statutory health insurance doctor.
Starting bonus of 100,000 euros “positive”
In any case, it is positive that a starting bonus of up to 100,000 euros was created for the 100 newly created cash registers in order to support the initial equipment of the new ordinations. In principle, however, one must consider extending this starting bonus to the currently open statutory health insurance doctor positions: “This financial assistance may help fill existing open positions more quickly,” says Wutscher.
“Starting bonus is a good treat”
However, in order to secure public supplies in the long term, the general conditions must finally be improved. “The starting bonus is a good bonus, but that alone will not be enough to bring about long-term changes,” says Wutscher. There is still a lack of a uniform catalog of services, and the fees also need to be more performance-related. Another point is the relaxation of the regulations for medical medicine cabinets: “If doctors were allowed to dispense medication themselves and more medicine cabinets were allowed, then these would also be measures that would help to fill the open health insurance positions again,” Wutscher is convinced.
