[Flight and migration : A challenge for medicine in Germany]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Internal Medicine
• Medical Sociology

Background:

• Germany experienced a significant influx of refugees in 2015.
• Public health authorities and physicians faced challenges in providing care.
• The German Society of Internal Medicine (DGIM) and Professional Organisation of German Internists (BDI) surveyed their members.

Purpose of the Study:

• To ascertain the diseases and challenges physicians encountered when treating refugees.
• To identify barriers in healthcare delivery to migrant and refugee populations.
• To inform policy recommendations regarding refugee healthcare.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to members of the DGIM and BDI between January and March 2016.
• A total of 3626 physicians completed all survey questions.
• Data analysis focused on reported diseases, treatment challenges, and reimbursement concerns.

Main Results:

• Most physicians (55.7% employed, 73.7% self-employed) believed the disease patterns did not change.
• Key challenges included linguistic communication, cultural differences, and psychological trauma.
• Lack of knowledge regarding reimbursement modalities was high (84.6% for employed physicians).

Conclusions:

• Physicians reported significant challenges in treating refugees, primarily related to communication and cultural factors.
• There is a need for clearer understanding and potentially improved systems for healthcare reimbursement for refugees.
• DGIM and BDI recommend a nationwide health insurance card for migrants and refugees.