Patient Advocate of the German Government, Stefan Schwartze (SPD), wants to ban certain self-pay services at the doctor, such as individual preventive examinations. An absurd initiative that puts doctors under general suspicion – and takes away patients’ freedom of choice. Usually, demands from the Patient Advocate of the German Government do not generate much interest, let alone spark a debate. However, this time, SPD politician Stefan Schwartze managed to make headlines and cause confusion in the government. In an interview with the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland,” he called for certain self-pay offers for patients to be banned. These are individual health services, abbreviated as IGeL, that are not covered by health insurance. As an example, Schwartze mentioned ultrasound examinations for early detection of ovarian and uterine cancer. He stated that these often lead to false positive results and unnecessary interventions. “Here, young women are unnecessarily frightened,” Schwartze said. Services deemed “harmful” by medical professional societies have no place in medical practices and should be prohibited.
The FDP faction reacted indignantly and warned against the interference of politics in medical practice. Indeed, the Patient Advocate’s demand is nonsensical for several reasons. Firstly, it is legally difficult in Germany to ban doctors from certain treatments. Such a step would interfere with their therapy freedom and the patients’ right to self-determination. Schwartze is likely aware of this. Second, the Patient Advocate casually accuses all doctors of pushing harmful therapies onto their patients. This allegation is more likely to frighten patients than many of the actual services. Clearly, there are also unscrupulous doctors who offer unnecessary treatments due to economic pressure. However, issuing a ban based on individual cases and thus damaging the trusting relationship between doctors and patients is definitely the wrong approach.
Instead, Schwartze should fulfill his duty to educate the population. On the website “IGeL Monitor,” patients can search for selected treatments and get an overview of how their effectiveness is evaluated by health insurance companies. Some self-pay services are even classified as “potentially positive” – such as light therapy for winter depression and acupuncture for migraine prevention. Whether the informed patient ultimately decides for or against such treatment should be left to the patient themselves.
Schwartze’s call to ban certain self-pay services at the doctor has sparked controversy and criticism. While the aim may be to protect patients from unnecessary treatments, it raises concerns about limiting patients’ autonomy and damaging the doctor-patient relationship. It is essential for the Patient Advocate to focus on educating patients about their options and providing them with reliable information, rather than advocating for blanket bans on certain medical services. Ultimately, empowering patients to make informed decisions about their health care is crucial in ensuring quality care and maintaining trust in the medical profession.
