OSNABRÜCK (dpa-AFX) - Before first consultations of the health ministers of federation and countries over the hospital reform the Marburger federation demanded "more courage". The flat rate per case system has led to disastrous undesirable developments and must therefore be completely abolished, said the chairwoman of the doctors' union, Susanne Johna, to the "Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung" (Tuesday).

The fact that health minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) wants to change "at least partially" from case lump sums to Vorhaltepauschalen is already enormously important. "Now, however, the proportion must be significantly increased, we hope for more courage and demand that the entire patient-related personnel costs be excluded from the case-based flat rates." Vorhaltepauschalen mean that hospitals receive money regardless of services rendered, such as surgeries - for keeping staff and equipment on hand.

According to the report, the federal and state health ministers will discuss the planned hospital reform on Thursday. The Marburger Bund basically backed Lauterbach's plans. "I hope that the states will go along with the reform and give a clear signal for it at the next meeting of health ministers," the chairwoman said. "We need to get speed into this now, then implementation could start from mid-2024."

First, however, the beds that can actually be occupied in the hospitals would have to be recorded. "Before we tackle the big hospital reform, we need clarity on the baseline," Johna said. "The number of beds recorded statistically has nothing at all to do with reality." To care for the sick, she said, doctors and nurses are needed, not just a bed frame plus mattress. In her estimation, a compulsory registration would show that the actual treatment capacity of the hospitals "is one fifth below the bare number of beds."/wn/DP/mis