Private rescue service company in Germany
Private rescue service companies in Germany are companies that are involved in the public rescue service by providing ambulances . These companies do not belong to the five large aid organizations that are united in the Federal First Aid Working Group and, unlike them, do not operate nationwide. Private rescue service companies exist in the legal form of GmbH , gGmbH , OHG or e. V.
Situation in Germany
In Germany, the rescue service is a matter of the state . Each federal state specifies in the Rescue Service Act how and to whom the rescue service is assigned. The ground-based rescue service is carried out by the fire brigade , the aid organizations ( ASB , DLRG , DRK / BRK , JUH , and MHD ), municipal rescue services, the Federal Armed Forces and private rescue service companies. According to BKS, around 6,000 employees generated sales of around 380 million euros in 2010 by private companies. In addition to companies that are active in the rescue service, there are also private ambulance companies that operate ambulances but are not involved in emergency rescue. There are also municipal rescue service companies, such as the rescue service cooperation in Schleswig-Holstein . About the Medical Disaster Relief Organization Germany e. V., federal disaster control can be supported by private companies.
history
At the end of the 19th century there was already organized ambulance transport in Germany in which private providers were involved. The Rünzel Krankentransporte GmbH, founded in 1885, is considered the oldest company. In 1942, through a “ Führer Decree ”, the German Red Cross became the sole provider of patient transport. This monopoly existed in the GDR until the fall of the Wall. Since the 1980s there has been an increase in private rescue service companies, accompanied by the introduction of the rescue service laws in West Germany. This went hand in hand with some court rulings, some of which enabled private providers to be included in the public rescue service.
Large rescue service company
- The largest company operating in Germany is the Danish Falck group of companies . In Germany, Falck operates 470 vehicles at 60 guards, which are manned by 2,500 employees. The non-profit Ambulanz und Rettungsdienst GmbH and the promedica Rettungsdienst GmbH have also been part of Falck since 2013 .
- The Aicher Ambulanz Union, founded in 1985, has 13 ambulances in Munich and employs around 1000 people in various areas.
- The MKT ambulance OHG was founded in 1985 and employs in its five business around 950 people. It provides ambulances in five Bavarian cities.
- The RKT Rettungsdienst OHG with five rescue guards together with the RKT - Association for Rescue Service and Disaster Protection in Bavaria eV represents another large company. A unique selling point is the special vehicle fleet with Tesla Model S , Tesla Model 3 , Land Rover Defender , Mercedes Benz G-Class and Ford Ranger as KdoW the ELRD , a DAF XF as ELW 2 , two large-capacity ambulances and a Unimog ambulance .
Controversy
- In March 2019, following a lawsuit by Falck, the European Court of Justice ruled that the award of emergency services can take place without a public, Europe-wide tender to non-profit organizations, since this is an area of hazard prevention and therefore an area exception is possible when awarding contracts. (Case C-465/17)
- In Baden-Württemberg , the rescue service is self-administered by cost bearers ( health insurance companies ) and service providers (rescue service organizations). This can make it difficult for private rescue service companies to participate in the rescue service.
- The Aicher Union received a lot of media attention when it took over the Oktoberfest medical service from the BRK in 2018. There were discussions as to whether the quality of care would decrease, enough staff would be found, aid organizations would downsize and the transport load for the regular rescue service would increase. These fears were not fulfilled in the first two years. The debate symbolically shows the arguments often put forward against the participation of profit-oriented companies in pre-hospital patient care.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b LP02 - Figures Data Facts - BKS | Federal Association. Accessed July 31, 2019 (German).
- ↑ DP04 - History - BKS | Federal Association. Accessed November 12, 2019 (German).
- ↑ C. Hellenschmidt: The standardization of the patient transport 1942-1945 . In: The emergency doctor . tape 27 , no. 04 , ISSN 0177-2309 , p. 154–157 , doi : 10.1055 / s-0031-1276864 ( thieme-connect.de [accessed on November 12, 2019]).
- ↑ Portrait. Accessed July 31, 2019 (German).
- ↑ For 30 years in the Munich rescue service. Accessed July 31, 2019 .
- ↑ facts. Accessed March 31, 2020 .
- ↑ Our locations. www.rkt.eu, accessed on April 6, 2020 .
- ↑ 'The structure of self-administration has completely failed'. Retrieved April 6, 2020 .
- ^ Süddeutsche de GmbH, Munich Germany, Dietrich Mittler: Paramedic: For the Red Cross, the Oktoberfest is over. Accessed July 31, 2019 .