International medical practice in Dresden closes: What does that mean for patients?

International medical practice in Dresden closes: What does that mean for patients?

In a decisive turn for the medical care of refugees and migrants in Saxony, the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KV) Saxony has decided to close the international practice in Dresden by the end of this year. Dr. Sylvia Krug, deputy chairwoman of KV Sachsen, explained that this decision was made under heavy consideration. The main focus is on rising costs and declining demand. The decline from 12,700 patients treated in 2016 to just 4,100 in 2023 illustrates the changing landscape of medical care in Dresden, as apotheke-adhoc.de reports.

The International Practices were originally launched in 2015 when the number of refugees arriving in Germany rose sharply. However, given the current situation, KV Sachsen is optimistic that the existing doctor's practices in Dresden can take care of the migrants. Many of the patients already have a permanent residence in Germany and generally have statutory health insurance, which reduces their dependence on special practices. The closure goes hand in hand with the conversion of the international practice in Chemnitz, which is to be continued as a separate KV Sachsen facility in the future, as the need for primary care here remains high.

Financial challenges and supply network

The closure of the practice in Dresden is not only a sign of change, but also the result of financial difficulties. KV Sachsen has declared that the existing funds and fee income are no longer sufficient to cover the increasing personnel and material costs. This development is regretted by Saxon Health Minister Petra Köpping, who, however, respects the KV's decision and thanks those involved for their commitment. What is particularly noteworthy is that the administrative agreements between the KV and the Free State of Saxony as well as the cities guarantee residual cost financing of up to 250,000 euros per practice until the end of the year. This underpins the urgently needed transitional regulation for the period after the closure of the international practice in Dresden, as zeit.de illustrates.

KV Sachsen ensures that medical care for patients with a migration background will continue to be guaranteed in the future. In this context, there are comprehensive legal regulations that regulate the right to medical care for refugees and asylum seekers. These principles are anchored in Sections 4 and 6 of the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act (AsylbLG), which play an important role in ensuring medical care. In addition, asylum seekers who have lived in Germany for longer than 36 months can even receive an electronic health card, which significantly facilitates their access to medical services, as can be found on kvsachsen.de.

The future of medical care

The changes in patient structure are also striking. The majority of the former patients of the international practices have now lived in Germany for several years and are often legally insured. The decline in the number of treatments shows that the practice is no longer considered necessary. The KV promises that all necessary steps will be taken to ensure that medical care for migrants continues even after the international practice is closed.

The fate of the international practice in Dresden is an example of the numerous challenges facing the healthcare system in Germany. In view of the ongoing financial burdens and changing needs, it remains to be seen how the integration and care of migrants in Saxony can be shaped in the future.