Internet doctor search: medics to bid!
She had known him since childhood and would never have left him. But then Manuela Schreibers left* Dentist retired. The 35-year-old from Hamburg sought a new practice with which she was so satisfied; until one of their crowns broke out. She should pay over 700 euros for the replacement: a lot of money for a single mother. So she came up with the idea to bring her rotten tooth under the hammer - on the Internet.
Not only do craftspeople outdo each other there in order to be able to wallpaper our home, doctors also haggle over patients in the net. They bid on platforms such as www.2tezahnarztmeinung.de or www.arzt-preisvergleich.de Treatments that statutory health insurances do not or only partially paysuch as dentures, eye lasers, physiotherapy, artificial inseminations and cosmetic surgery. Patients will need to have their dentist's salary and cost plan, or other information important to "pricing," such as the diopter of their eyes or the size of a planned cosmetic surgery.
The indignation on the part of the medical associations was initially great: "Unärztlich", "unethical" and "dubious" is this Internet bazaar and violate on top of that against the advertising ban, which doctors are subject. One year ago, the Higher Regional Court of Munich ruled against one of the Internet portals, as it sparked an un-collegial price war among dentists. But operator Holger Lehmann appealed and found that success proves he is right: "More than 50,000 treatments have come through us and more than 900 dentists are involved." The legal dispute is still not finalized. But some health insurance already refer to the auctions.
After all, patients on the net can not only compare costs, but also theirs Exchange experiences about doctorsunder pseudonyms such as tick-driller, karieskiller and dr. Super tooth attend the auctions. "These ratings are at least as important to people as the price," says Sigrun Koschel from MediKompass GmbH, which operates one of the platforms.
Manuela Schreiber also had her own quality criteria: She wanted a dentist who gets his crowns from a German laboratory and not from the Asian low-cost manufacturer. Nevertheless, she eventually landed at the lowest bidder. With 350 euros this demanded less than half of their original health care plan.
The patient was skeptical at first: "I thought, I'll take a look at this, but go again, if I'm not convinced." So she was relieved that she was advised only at the first appointment and was pushed to nothing - the new medical plan was then even a little cheaper than the auction price.
But how does that work without sacrificing quality? "The main savings are in the dental laboratory", explains Manuela Schreibers dentist. "And there we have our own with very modern equipment that replaces expensive working hours." He also calculated from the beginning together with a dental technician and therefore much more accurate than other practices. Even if a part of his fee goes to the platform operator, the bidding is worthwhile for him. But he also shakes his head at some of his colleagues: "Especially those who are fresh at the auctions are often very cheap, but for good work you have to demand their price."
So far, it is primarily dentists and providers of eye lasers and beauty surgeries who participate in the price war in the network. An ophthalmologist from Cologne, for example, has already bought more than 200 laser surgeries - and thus uses his expensive devices: "Although I earn less per patient per internet auction, I have even more patients."
One of his patients is 34-year-old Anna Bergmann *. "I was incredibly afraid of the laser surgery," she recalls, "and finding the doctor I trust my eyes to find via an internet auction was completely suspect to me." Only the positive experiences of a colleague made her courage. And ophthalmologist M., for whom she decided after the auction, was with 2300 not only 1000 euros cheaper than the regional clinic, but also had the more modern technology. But most of all, she was in good hands with him right from the start: "I knew that I could still say I'm not doing it."
Above all, the auctions bring more transparency to the healthcare system. "We get people to question prices, so it's no wonder that many medical professionals do not like it," says Holger Lehmann. Incidentally, anyone who does not want to leave their home dentist can also profit.
"Some patients also go with their instructions to their old doctor to renegotiate," says Judith Storf, spokeswoman for the Federal Working Group of Patient Positions and Initiatives.Others, like Manuela Schreiber, make the bargain doctor for the future the dentist of their confidence - without comparing the prices every time anew. Because one thing is clear from the experience with doctor auctions: Cheaper does not necessarily mean worse. But the critical examination of the qualification and experience of a doctor's office, which one wants to entrust oneself, one should not even save the cheap provider.
*Names changed by the editor
What you should pay attention to
- Nobody is obliged to "take" the auctioned therapy. Auctions of medical services on the Internet are absolutely without obligation, Whether a doctor or a doctor can really carry out the treatment and whether you trust them only becomes clear in personal contact during the consultation.
- The prices of the auction are not binding. The final cost statement is submitted by the doctor only when he has examined the patient. If the price rises significantly, skepticism is allowed. "Many patients complain that they should pay more afterwards than was offered on the internet," says patient spokeswoman Judith Storf.
- Ask for the Experience of the doctor, Trainees often try to establish a patient base via the Internet portals. This does not necessarily have to be a disadvantage, because who comes fresh from the university hospital, is up to date with the science trained. But especially with more complicated procedures you should include in the decision how much experience the doctor has already gained with it.
- The distance determines each self. Before the auction one determines, how far one is ready to travel. Judith Storf advises: Travel costs in the price comparison from the beginning into account, Otherwise, the saved euros could immediately disappear again in the tank of the car - especially if there are still pending clarification dates.
- Patient reports continue to help. Make good online portals Reviews of patients and comments of doctors to the net. This gives insight into the working style of a practice.
