Increasing case numbers show clear vaccination gaps. The Austrian Medical Association advocates expanding the public vaccination program.
Vienna (OTS) – “The topic of vaccination is currently of great importance to health policy for at least two reasons: On the one hand, the safety criteria for vaccination must not be weakened by professional groups such as pharmacists, who have a completely different training and specialization than doctors, suddenly being allowed to vaccinate without any medical supervision should. On the other hand, we are observing – current examples include measles and whooping cough – that diseases that were thought to have been overcome are returning,” said Johannes Steinhart, President of the Austrian Medical Association, summing up the current situation at a press conference today. The population’s high willingness to be vaccinated in the past has largely erased the importance of such diseases from public consciousness. “Therefore, more information needs to be provided about the high, often life-saving importance of vaccinations in order to increase willingness and vaccination coverage,” demanded Steinhart.
When it comes to vaccination, there is a central insight that must be emphasized again and again because it has far-reaching practical consequences for patient safety: “Vaccination is much more than just a jab,” said Steinhart, referring to the Austrian vaccination plan. This prescribes, for example, mandatory information and education about the disease to be prevented and the vaccination, an anamnesis and the determination of suitability for vaccination. And finally, follow-up observation plays an important role; this also requires suitable structural conditions. The strict standards of the Quality Assurance Ordinance apply to medical practices. “Whether the premises of pharmacies actually offer the opportunity for confidential anamnesis and follow-up observation, for example, remains to be seen,” said the ÖÄK President.
In addition, there are no gaps in the supply of vaccinations in Austria that would have to be filled by pharmacies. “The existing close-knit network of individual practices, group practices and primary care units is by far sufficient to provide high-quality care. That’s what sets us apart from other countries,” says Steinhart. So far, not a single vaccination campaign has failed in this country because there are too few vaccination locations. Last winter showed that the only bottleneck in supply was the insufficient availability of some vaccines due to the minister’s negligence. Vaccinations in pharmacies would not have changed the supply bottlenecks at all. “The bottom line is that vaccinations by pharmacists do not provide any additional benefit. The safe and competent care of patients must not be sacrificed to the professional and commercial interests of pharmacists,” emphasized Steinhart.
A question of trust
“Trust is the decisive lever for increasing vaccination rates,” emphasized Naghme Kamaleyan-Schmied, deputy chairwoman of the Federal Curia for resident doctors in the ÖÄK. Therefore, the vaccination is best served by doctors. Vaccinations are particularly effective and safe. “Nevertheless, vaccination is a complex process, from determining suitability for vaccination, to the information discussion and the skillful application of the injection, to the follow-up observation of the vaccinated person, including taking possible emergency medical measures in the event of side effects,” said Kamaleyan-Schmied, who is a practice for General medicine in Vienna leads.
“Vaccinations in the ordinations are a success story and offer patients the highest possible safety and quality and an uncomplicated one-stop system thanks to the close doctor/patient relationship of trust,” said the general practitioner. Risks could be discussed together and doubts cleared up in an individual conversation. “Due to our training and the practice equipment, we doctors are trained and well-rehearsed for these, fortunately rare, emergencies. “In this way, we guarantee doctors the gold standard of vaccination performance,” says Kamaleyan-Schmied.
Include all groups of people
The primary goal at the moment must be to close the existing vaccination gaps, emphasized Rudolf Schmitzberger, head of the vaccination department of the Austrian Medical Association. Especially when it comes to measles, mumps and rubella, the vaccination rate is far too low: “Here, we doctors also need the time for detailed educational discussions, which should also be rewarded accordingly by the health insurance companies,” says Schmitzberger.
Aside from the vaccination gaps, the child vaccination program in Austria is generally very well positioned. However, with the end of the support for children through the mother-child pass, deficits would arise: “Unfortunately, adults are not taken into account enough in the vaccination program,” emphasized Schmitzberger. In principle, every vaccination that is recommended in the Austrian vaccination plan must be available free of charge. If doctors have the vaccinations in stock in the office, the offer is optimal, Schmitzberger found: “Then the population not only experiences the ‘best point of quality’, but also the ‘best point of service’ – and that’s how it should be “To increase the vaccination rate: free vaccines – without deductibles, available directly in the ordinations and vaccinated immediately.”
ÖÄK catalog of demands
• Vaccination is a medical service for very good reasons and must remain so in the future.
• The additional 90 million euros made available for vaccination in the Financial Equalization Act must be used primarily to close vaccination gaps.
• The vaccination certificate should be checked regularly, especially as part of preventive examinations, so that vaccinations are refreshed in a timely manner.
• The general conditions for vaccinations in ordinations must be further improved. In the interests of patients, the Medical Association is calling for vaccines to be made available and medications to be dispensed directly in doctor’s offices.
• The pneumococcal vaccination established in the children’s vaccination program should also be provided free of charge to adults.
• The quadruple vaccination against tetanus, diphtheria, polio and whooping cough, which is required every ten years, should in future be offered at a low threshold and free of charge.
• Vaccinations against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and against herpes zoster (shingles) for senior citizens should be included in the free vaccination program.
• A nationwide vaccination program should include all age groups and close the financial hurdles, especially with regard to seniors.
• Ultimately, all vaccinations recommended in the Austrian vaccination plan should be offered free of charge.
Questions & Contact:
Austrian Medical Association
Mag. Sascha Bunda
public relation
+ 43 1 514 06-3341
s. mother@aerztekammer.at
www.aerztekammer.at
#ÖÄK #vaccination #quota #simple #measures #endangering #patients