ARE WE SEEING THE START OF THE DISMANTLIN G OF EMERGENCY-MEDICINE WITHIN THE GERMAN-MEDICAL-RESCUE-SERVICE

The discussion about costs in the German Medical Rescue Service was '' brought up to date'' by the official statement put out by Health Minis ter Seehofer, according to which annual savings of some 500 million de utschmarks could be achieved without detriment to the present level of performance. Such a claim - in support of which no evidence has so fa r been advanced - requires clarification with the aim of counteracting at an early stage, the dismantling of German emergency medicine in th e pre-hospital phase. At the same time, attention is drawn to the comp rehensive analysis entitled ''Stocktaking of the Emergency Medical Res cue Service'' conducted as long ago as in 1991 by emergency physicians of all the specialities represented in the DIVI, and submitted to all the relevant Federal and Regional Authorities. This analysis not only identifies existing deficiencies, but also makes proposals for improv ing efficiency, with account being taken of the economic aspect. To ju dge by the statements made by the Federal Minister and his secretary o f state, which were made in answer to enquiries raised in the Bundesta g, the report on this analysis has so far remained unconsidered. Clari fications, but also renewed proposals for a joint dialogue aimed at fi nding solutions to existing problems, are therefore presented with the aim of precluding the accusation that we physicians have not been doi ng our homework.