The general practitioners in Hesse have started vaccinations for autumn and winter. The focus is on booster vaccinations against corona and influenza.
They started in September, says Christian Sommerbrodt, chairman of the Hesse General Practitioners Association. However, there is still room for improvement in the organization and logistics of vaccinations.
Problems with scheduling appointments
One problem is that the Biontech vaccine against Covid-19 is still delivered in multi-dose containers. These require a purchase of six cans each. This makes it difficult for vaccinators to make appointments. In addition, there is still no combination vaccination against corona and flu, which, according to Sommerbrodt, is another disadvantage.
Missing billing agreements
Another obstacle lies in the lack of agreement between the state statutory health insurance associations and the statutory health insurance companies, says Sommerbrodt. A corresponding agreement has not yet been reached. Without this, doctors would not be able to bill the health insurance companies directly for their services. Patients have to cover the costs themselves in advance and get the money back later.
