Patients of the bankrupt GP practice Co-Med who are left without medical care are worried about what’s next. The online GP service which has been offered is not an acceptable alternative, they feel.
When the practice on Orpheuslaan was last open is unknown, but the cobweb on the doorbell shows that this was a while ago. The building looks desolate. A crow parades on the roof. Last Friday it it was announced that GP chian Co0Med has been declared bankrupt by the court. Health care insurance companies had terminated their cooperation with Co-Med because they deemed the care offered below standard. A plan to prevent bankruptcy failed. This means that some two thousand patients in the area are left without a GP.
“Yes, it is certainly annoying” says a resident in the area who opens the door when we ring the bell. “We were notified this morning. Our insurance company tells us that we can contact a call centre. We’ll have to see how that turns out”. The man has never had any complaints about medical care, he says. “It’s a shame”.
Chat
Patients who visit the website of the Oudegracht practice are referred to Arene, an online GP. They are expected to register there first. “You can ask Arene the questions you would normally ask your GP, until a permanent solution has been found”, the site says. It also mentions an app for a chat with a nurse. The emergency number 112 should be called for imediate help.
One couple talks to Studio040 anonymously. They are very unhappy with the situation. The online solution will not do, even though the service provides the option of a face to face consultation with a GP should this be necessary. “We are anxious, angry and worried, not knowing what’s going to happen next”.
