Hedgehog performance: Cash registers warn of risky hip and knee sprayers

From the perspective of the health insurance companies, patients with pain on knees or hips should be less involved in self-paying services to the doctor. Spraying against knee or hip arthrosis causes more damage than using, as the Medical Service Bund announced when presenting its new hedgehog monitor. This includes joint inflammation or heart problems. The pain reduction, on the other hand, is so minimal “that it is not clinically important”.

Hedgehog stands for individual health services in medical practices. According to the medical service of the health insurance companies, statutory insured people spend at least 2.4 billion euros on this. With 397 million euros, orthopedics are one of the three most sales areas in the hedgehog market, in addition to ophthalmology with 544 million and gynecology with 543 million euros.

Spraying with knee and hip arthrosis

The knee and hip syringes are about injections with hyaluronic acid, which is supposed to compensate for the lack of joint fluid. These injections cost between around 220 and 300 euros per treatment cycle. Depending on the preparation used, 500 euros and more can also be due. With these syringes, possible damage significantly outweighed the benefits according to medical service. This is evident from numerous studies with which these injections have been evaluated for over 50 years, the medical service said.

The fact that the syringes are asked is due to the widespread spread of osteoarthritis and the lack of healing therapy. In Germany, every sixth person between the ages of 60 and 80 is affected by a knee joint and every tenth of a hip arthrosis- significantly more for over-80-year-olds. In contrast to hyaluronic acid injection, several treatments that are supposed to relieve the pain and improve mobility are adopted from the health insurers – to joint replacement for severe osteoarthritis.

Shock waves in shoulder pain

Limestone shoulder and tennis arm also drive many patients into practice. The tendon diseases affect those affected by pain and reduced movement ability. Here they are often offered shock wave therapy, including self -paying performance. And this despite the fact that there are hardly any meaningful studies on therapy according to the health insurance survey. Does shock wave therapy bring something? “Unclear” was the judgment of the medical service.

The hedgehog monitor has been examining the various therapies offered since 2012. Now the experts drawn a sobering conclusion. Of 60 tested hedgehogs, 31 services were negatively assessed. At 26, the result is unclear due to a lack of sufficient studies. Only 3 self -paying benefits do with tendency.

“We need facts instead of advertising”

The fact that hedgehogs are often carried out despite the sobering damage-benefit balance is due to poor information from the patients in many practices, said the chairman of the Medical Service BUND, Stefan Gronemeyer. “We are concerned that the patients in the medical practices are often not informed about the risk of damage,” said Gronemeyer.

The head of the medical service calls for two new regulations to contain hedgehogs. “The practices should be obliged to offer independently created science -based reviews and information regularly,” said Gronemeyer. “In addition, hedgehogs should not be allowed on the day they are offered.” Those affected should have a reflection period.

According to a survey, many insured persons think that the services make sense, but would no longer be offered by the health insurers. “This is wrong,” said Gronemeyer. He criticized benefit promises through practical flyers and TV. Gronemeyer said to the address of resident doctors: “We need facts instead of advertising in the waiting rooms.”