Medicine in Germany is aimed at the protection and well-being of German citizens. Reforms are constantly being carried out in this area. Therefore, the strategic development of he alth and social infrastructure matters. Patients from all over the world are attracted by the well-developed medicine in Germany. Having briefly studied it, many tend to come to Germany in order to receive high-quality and qualified medical care.
What does the German he althcare system look like?
Medicine in Germany is considered one of the best in the world. Its distinctive features are:
- availability of highly qualified doctors;
- using the latest equipment;
- development of German clinics;
- applying innovations in treatment, rehabilitation and diagnostics.
The following institutions are particularly well-known around the world:
Hamburg Institute Bernhard Nocht. He specializesresearch, diagnosis and treatment of tropical diseases
- German Heart Center in Berlin. Specializes in heart and lung transplantation, treatment of the cardiovascular system.
- North Rhine-Westphalia Heart Center. This includes 4 clinics, 3 institutes, a number of internal services. Together they successfully fight against cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and its complications.
- Diagnostic clinic in Wiesbaden.
- Dermatology Clinic at the University of Munich.
- Neurosurgical Clinic of the University of Cologne.
According to statistics in Germany, the entire population is covered by insurance:
- 90% of the population is state-owned;
- 8% of people are private;
- 2% - representatives of professions related to a special type of insurance.
Historical facts
The history of medicine in Germany began in ancient times, when indigenous tribes in the presence of diseases were looking for ways to recover with the help of herbs and medicinal plants. The experience of treatment was passed down from generation to generation and developed over the centuries.
When the letter appeared, the oral and written branches of medicine split. Most medicinal plants have been used as a prophylaxis and treatment. For this purpose, seeds, flowers, roots and leaves were used. Doctors observed the effects on the body of fruits and vegetables, herbal teas; how to cure a cough, eliminate pain or diarrhea, eradicate otherdiseases. Healers of the ancient tribes had an idea about surgery, the primitive treatment of tumors and fractures in different parts of the body.
When the emphasis was on churches and communes in the Middle Ages, doctors and the presence of hospitals contributed to the emergence of medical care. German statehood developed, so it is not surprising that oversight of the medicinal art appeared. Subsequently, the state decided to issue licenses and approve the pricing procedure.
In the 19th century (1852), Prussia closed surgical schools and united surgeons and therapists in one industry. In 1871, the first commercial bill was adopted thanks to the initiative of a liberal public organization headed by Rudolf Virchow. In 1939, a law was passed on the possibility of using non-traditional methods of treatment.
Thanks to Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the first social security system (the only one in the world at that time) was introduced. It included all workers and members of their families. Today, about 90% of the German population is covered by social insurance.
Social Security
Germany has a well thought out social policy. It is the prerogative of the German statehood. The government covers the cost of he alth insurance:
- unemployed and senior citizens;
- children;
- non-working spouses;
- civil servants.
Today social insurance includes 4 directions:
- pension;
- medical;
- offunemployment;
- from workplace accidents.
The German Social Code includes the following set of services in he alth insurance:
- disease prevention and he alth in the workplace;
- regular medical examinations to detect diseases;
- direct treatment;
- emergency care and transportation of patients in severe conditions.
History of Social Security
Social insurance dates back to 1881, when Otto von Bismarck pursued a policy of "iron and blood". It was then that the concept of medical protection and other services first appeared. This policy was aimed at the loy alty of citizens. In 1883, for the first time, a law was passed on compulsory he alth insurance for workers in certain industries.
The system included voluntary and compulsory insurance. The work of medical cash desks was managed by self-government bodies. The state has determined the minimum set of services included in the policy.
After the Second World War, the state came to grips with the development of social insurance, which became one of the key directions in the country's policy. Already in the middle of the 20th century, the German he alth care system included a structured medical care. This included the following types of insurance:
- state mandatory;
- private fund insurance.
He alth insurance
For a person living in Germany, almostthe concept of "paid services" in this industry is unknown. Medicine in Germany has advanced so much that insurance in this country differs from Russian in 2 points:
- It applies to all family members.
- Insurance provides really high-quality medical care.
Monthly, a percentage is deducted from the employee's salary to a special fund. Therefore, no one living in Germany is worried about the lack of medical care at the right time.
Hospitals
Many foreign citizens are interested in what kind of medicine is in Germany. Only those who can compare, for example, a Russian and a German hospital, only speak positively about the latter. The fact is that in Germany there are many private practices, and they try to resort to the services of the hospital as a last resort.
Patients are placed in separate rooms and there are no visiting hours in the hospital. It turns out that relatives can be near the patient around the clock, and no one will ask them about the presence of fluorography or shoe covers. However, the facility is always sterile. In addition, the staff takes care of the patient's relatives.
It is especially pleasing that children are sacred for the German nation, so everything is provided in hospitals for the comfort of little patients. At first, the doctor tries to win the trust of the baby, gives a trifling toy or souvenir, only after that he begins the examination.
There is no gloom in a hospital children's room, only bright colors and lots of toys. Afterafter the operation, the parents can be admitted to the intensive care unit with the child. Some (especially foreigners) were surprised at first by the behavior of the doctors. The fact is that the doctor can be near the child (if he is just a baby), hold his hand and sing songs to him.
If you study the reviews about medicine in Germany, we can conclude that such an attitude of staff towards patients is a common thing. Doctors are service providers, so they try their best to make patients feel comfortable.
Childhood and motherhood protection
The difference between Russian and German medicine in terms of obstetrics and gynecology is that all medical services (including childbirth) abroad are fully covered by the insurance policy. Pregnant women are tested, observed and have an ultrasound scan by their own gynecologists. In Russia, childbirth covered by the compulsory he alth insurance policy does not allow you to choose an obstetrician and gynecologist. In addition, the process of the birth of a child will take place in a common delivery room. All other desires of a woman are considered an additional service that costs a lot.
Developed medicine in Germany (reviews only confirm this) makes it possible to give birth to a baby in a separate cozy room with a bathroom, flowers on the windows and fresh curtains due to standard insurance. This ward is equipped with new medical equipment. The only thing that the family expecting a baby pays for is a separate room in which the husband of the woman in labor can stay around the clock.
There is an interesting tradition in Germany. If the family has a son, the father plants a maple on the territory of the maternity hospital; if the girl is a linden.
Main trends in German medicine
University clinics at the state level are allowed to conduct various studies. That's why Germany has good medicine. In addition, the state provides all possible support in terms of technical equipment and research. German discipline is an example of how actively this sphere of society should develop in all directions. However, several currents are central.
Cardiology and cardiac surgery. In the capital of Germany, it is possible to carry out transplantation of the most important organ and research on the development of an artificial heart. And also undergo treatment in the largest cardiological center in Europe. Close cooperation between physicians and engineers was the impetus that allowed the development of special devices. Devices are a real salvation for surgeons. Now there is a real opportunity to perform the operation with minimal damage to the skin and soft tissues
- To optimize the healing process, preventive examinations of specific organs and the whole body as a whole are sent to a separate line.
- The successful factor in recovery is rehabilitation. On the territory of the country there are special clinics working in this direction. Specific enterprises develop equipment that is specific to the needs of patients in rehabilitation facilities.
Russian doctors in German clinics and hospitals
Many immigrants from the USSR left their homeland and went toGermany for additional education or confirmation of diplomas. This was the reason to stay in the country and practice medical activities. For Russian-speaking patients, such medicine in Germany turned out to be a double success:
- service will be at a high level;
- It is easier for those who have not mastered the official language to communicate with a doctor in their native language.
Those who resettled in Germany with knowledge of the official language do not show the difference between an appointment with a German or Russian doctor.
Advantages and disadvantages of treatment in Germany
The advantages of treatment in German clinics include the following points:
- Diagnosis is carried out on modern technical equipment.
- The staff of medical institutions is an example of attentiveness and courtesy to patients.
- Doctors undergo long and intensive training at the best universities in the country.
- Medical practice and scientific innovation are closely intertwined, so cures are constantly being improved.
- In other countries, there is no high technical equipment, and a comprehensively developed level of medicine in general, which makes it possible to carry out the most complex operations in Germany.
- Medicine in Germany can also be said to have exceptional stability due to low crime and the absence of political unrest.
Unfortunately, there is also a fly in the ointment. The main problem of medicinein Germany is the high cost of medical and rehabilitation services in the clinics of the country. Few countries in the world can compare with Germany in this indicator. Medicine in the largest university clinics has a particularly exorbitant price. Some procedures are several times cheaper in institutions that are not so famous and not so big. In order to save money, patients are advised to choose a clinic that is not very popular and well-known, especially since there are many such organizations in Germany.
