Essay Example on Healthcare Practices in Germany

The health sector in Germany is based on a not-centralized and self-governing system run by some different players. This research material sheds light on the organizations that are involved in the healthcare system, its structure, and how that structure has evolved over the years. The German healthcare system is categorized into three main areas-outpatient and inpatient care and rehabilitation facilities (Busse et al 2017. The institutions responsible for governing the system are the associations and unions of various providers and disciplines, health insurance careers and the National Ministry of Health.

Four principles are the basis of the health sector in the nation. One of the principles is the compulsory insurance where people, in general, must have insurance catered for by the state as long as their gross salaries are below a predetermined fixed threshold (Busse et al 2017). The other principle is funding from premiums whereby premiums paid by employees who are insurance holders and their employers are used to cater for healthcare payments.

The third principle is that of solidarity. Carriers of statutory health insurance together and collectively carry the individual risks in the event they lose their income and costs of medical attention in the occurrence of sickness (Busse et al 2017). People with statutory insurance have equal right to get medical care regardless of how much they earn and their level of premium. Premiums are derived from salaries which then mean that the poor receive aid from the rich and the ill from the healthy.

Self-governance states that while the federal government comes up with conditions to be met for medical attention, the more detailed setup, structure, and funding of personal medical services are solely in the hands of the independently-governing bodies in the health sector that are legally appointed (Purnell, 2013). They comprise of individuals who are representatives for healthcare providers, psychotherapists, dentists, hospitals, insurance providers and insurance carriers.

The National Ministry of Health makes policies at the national level. It is tasked with the responsibility to come up with policies and give administrative protocols that define the extent of independent governance within the sector (Busse et al 2017). The Health Ministry directs a number of institutions that deal with higher-level general health issues. The National Institute for Drug and Medical Machinery is responsible for approval of pharmaceutical products. Matters involving statutory health insurance are left in the hands of the National Joint Committee as it is the maximum authority within the independent body that is the health sector (Busse et al 2017). Other roles of the Joint Committee include making decisions regarding the medical services are to be covered by the state and the nature in which the coverage will be and healthcare quality assurance.

Outpatient attention is mostly provided by unaffiliated psychotherapists, dental practitioners, doctors among other healthcare gurus in their private practices. Most practitioners in the healthcare system have a statutory health insurance accreditation (Busse et al 2017). This enables them to give medical attention to anyone with statutory health insurance. On the other hand, the inpatient care in Germany is provided by most hospitals. They attend to everyone who needs medical attention regardless of whether they have any kind of insurance coverage. Rehabilitation is also part of inpatient care (Busse et al 2017). Rehabilitation institutions provide the attention that helps individuals get back their independence and get better after recovering from a critical illness or intensive therapy.

References

Busse, Reinhard ,Blumel ,Miriam ,Knieps ,Franz and Barnighausen ,Till, Statutory health insurance in Germany:a health system shaped by 135 years of solidarity,self-governance and competition.The Lancet journal ,Volume 390,No.10097,2017,P882-897.

Purnell, L., (2013). Transcultural health care: A culturally competent approach (4th ed.). Philadelphia: F.A. Davis.