therapie LEIPZIG 2023 Gets Underway With Health Policy Demands
therapie LEIPZIG 2023 – Trade Fair with Congress for Therapy, Medical Rehabilitation and Prevention kicks off today with a health policy symposium. Health experts from therapy and service providers are gathering to discuss the planned political initiatives in healthcare and therapy for the remaining legislative period as well as presenting their demands and appealing to federal and state governments to act soon in setting the course for future-proof solutions in the therapeutic professions.
A symposium entitled "Healthcare Opportunities and Risks in 2023" will be held at the Congress Center Leipzig with speeches on the need for political action in the healthcare industry by Christof Lawall, Managing Director of the German Society for Medical Rehabilitation (DEGEMED), Joscha Brunßen, Chairman of the Board at the Federal Association of Outpatient Rehabilitation Centres (BamR), Hans Ortmann, Deputy Chairman of the German Federation of Therapeutic Product Associations (SHV) and Dirk van den Heuvel, Managing Director of the Federal Association of Geriatrics (Bundesverband Geriatrie).
DEGEMED advocates eliminating the German pension insurance budget for rehabilitation. Rehabilitation services are provided by highly qualified employees and must be paid appropriately. The rehabilitation budget, however, limits options for reimbursing the services provided and thus poses a burden on institutions. DEGEMED is calling for medical rehabilitation funds to be based on actual needs and not on a budget.
In order to meet the growing need for rehabilitation, the German Society for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (DGPRM) and the Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Professionals (BVPRM) are pressing for the implementation of mobile rehabilitation across all indications (MoRe). This type of service is intended for patients who have completed acute treatment and rehabilitation but are still expected to experience day-to-day limitations in their body structure and functions as well as restrictions on their activities and participation in daily life. "MoRe" can help to overcome the current care shortages and close service gaps.
The Federal Association of Outpatient Rehabilitation Centres (BamR) is also calling for changes in health policy. The association would like outpatient and inpatient rehabilitation services to be placed on an equal footing and is pressing for legislation in line with the principle of "outpatient before inpatient". There are no differences in content between outpatient and inpatient services, and Book V of the German Social Code (SGB) stipulates that inpatient services may only be provided if the patient’s impairment precludes outpatient rehabilitation treatment. As such, political institutions should consistently follow the "outpatient before inpatient" principle in their actions and not put outpatient rehabilitation facilities at a disadvantage.
The German Federation of Therapeutic Product Associations (SHV) advocates training reform and the modernisation of occupational laws in order to make the therapeutic professions future-proof. From the SHV's point of view, this update is long overdue to keep up with medical progress and rapidly changing healthcare needs. In particular, practically relevant courses of study and broad therapeutic research are needed to move these professions forward and to make them more attractive to young people. In addition, the SHV advocates for the implementation of model projects on direct access for patients.
The Federal Association of Geriatrics is calling for an end to the "rehab lie". This refers to concerns that medical rehabilitation is structurally underfunded despite its efficacy and that more and more rehabilitation facilities have to adjust their services to meet specified costs often also stipulated by various health insurance companies. These adjustments make it increasingly difficult for severely affected individuals to receive the rehabilitation treatments to which they are legally entitled. They are then forced to switch to inpatient care. The association is calling on health insurance funds to counteract this problem by adequately compensating rehabilitation facilities.
The therapie LEIPZIG 2023 trade fair and congress are open daily from Thursday to Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm. therapie LEIPZIG is aimed exclusively at professional visitors.