With new health kiosks, the federal government wants to improve health care in socially disadvantaged areas. Around a thousand such contact points should be set up nationwide, announced Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD), according to his ministry, on Wednesday when he visited a health kiosk in Hamburg.
The most important task of the kiosks is to improve access to care for people with “special support needs” and to coordinate care.
Even simple routine medical tasks should therefore be available in the kiosks – such as measuring blood pressure and blood sugar, changing bandages, wound care and subcutaneous injections. The work in the kiosks should be done by qualified nursing staff.
The tasks of the kiosks also include improving the health literacy of people in socially disadvantaged districts and regions and offering individual advice to support a “healthy lifestyle”. In addition, further medical treatments should be mediated.
According to Lauterbach’s idea, the kiosks should be financed by the health insurance companies and the municipalities. The statutory health insurers should bear 74.5 percent of the total costs, private health insurance 5.5 percent and the municipalities 20 percent. The municipalities should decide on the construction of the kiosks.
“Neither the wallet nor the place of residence” should decide on the treatment of patients, explained Lauterbach. “Even in structurally weak areas, everyone should have the opportunity to receive quick and competent advice on health issues and unbureaucratic help.”
