Consensus on “direct access for self-payers”
Around 400 therapists, doctors, politicians and representatives of statutory health insurance companies came to Bochum in the middle of October to the Federal Association of Independent Physiotherapists’ ( IFK e.V.) congress.
The controversial subject of patients’ direct access to therapists was one of the most important topics discussed – with astounding consensus: the President of the German Medical Association, Dr. Frank Ulrich Montgomery was not the only one to support the demands of the IFK for so-called direct access for self-paying patients. Members of the Bundestag Dietrich Monstadt (CDU), Dr. Erwin Lotter (FDP) and Katja Dörner (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) were also able to see this as a first step. The healthcare economist
Prof. Dr. Günther Beubauer claimed that direct access to physiotherapy would be made available within the next four years.
Focussing on patient care, there were also intensive discussions about “strategies for prevention in the future”. Dr. Monika Kücking from the GKV (The National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds) defended the high demands made by the prevention guidelines, while IFK chairperson Ute Repschläger criticised the fact that good concepts from providers often fail because of the market interests of some statutory health insurance companies. A standardised prevention fund for financing measures is what is needed here. The experts on the panel discussion did not reach agreement on the question of prevention law, but did agree on the importance of having a comprehensive prevention strategy and interdisciplinary cooperation in this area. At this point Dr. Theodor Windhorst, President of the Medical Association Westfalen-Lippe, also emphasised that: “The physiotherapists are good partners for us doctors.”
The 30th IFK anniversary began with an experts’ discussion to develop a joint, professional policy position for the field of osteopathy. The result: doctors and physiotherapists should be responsible for osteopathy in Germany. This has not been regulated effectively until now. In order to provide their services here they also need a nationwide ruling oriented to WHO standards. The round of experts comprised Dr. Matthias Psczolla from the German Society for Musco-Skeletal Medicine, the IFK chair Ute Repschläger, the osteopathic physiotherapist Uwe Harste, Prof. Christoff Zalpour from the University of Applied Sciences Osnabruck, the Mulligan teacher Dr. Claus Beyerlein, Dr. Bernahrd Hartwig from the Federal Osteopathy Association and Prof. Dr. Lothar Beyer from the German Society for Manual Medicine.