Referral Forms

Germans like to go and see their doctor, or even better lots of doctors. According to this article (in German), the average German sees a doctor 16.3 times a year, which is the highest rate in the world. In order to try and stem the number of visits, especially people diagnosing themselves and going straight to a specialist, patients have to pay 10 Euros each quarter in order to see a doctor. Referrals in that quarter are then free. This system is supposed to encourage patients to first see a GP (General Practitioner), who can send them to a specialist if necessary. This great step forward was part of the Gesundheitsreform.

I was sent by my GP (where I paid 10 Euros back in July) to a psychiatrist, who sent me back to my GP, who yesterday referred me to a neurologist. I got a little referral form explaining who (the GP) was referring me to whom (the neurologist) and wherefore (depression). I then rang up the neurologist, and was told that the appointment could only be made at the end of October as he was busy. The secretary of the neurologist explained that the referral was only valid until the end of September, and that I would need a new one if I came in October. The alternative would be to pay 10 Euros to the neurologist and then keep going to the neurologist to get referrals to the GP. So I will make a completely pointless trip to my GP in a weeks time to get a referral to replace a perfectly good referral that I got yesterday. Which means that her waiting list will increase until the point that nobody ever sees a doctor in the same 3-month period that they were referred, and 100% of the doctor's time is spent filling out forms again and again.

The alternative would just be to go to the bank, get 163 Euros in 10 Euro notes, and pay each time. This would be my favourite solution, but I quite like the idea that one doctor has a list of when you were ill and with what. I just wish that the referrals were valid for a reasonable time.

I cried a lot yesterday and took time off work. A friend forced me to tidy my room, which was one giant floordrobe. I found one of the toenails which had fallen off a few months ago. He said that I have let myself go, and need to sort myself out.