Heilpraktiker are people who are allowed to practice the healing profession without being physicians. A Heilpraktiker must prove his medical knowledge in an examination before a state medical association. Heilpraktiker work independently, usually in their own practices. The profession of the Heilpraktiker is one of the liberal professions within the meaning of the Income Tax Act.
What is a Heilpraktiker?
Most Heilpraktiker apply procedures from alternative medicine, such as from the field of phytotherapy, aromatherapy, physiotherapy, bioresonance therapy or homeopathy. Heilpraktiker are persons who – although they do not have a medical license – are active in the healing arts. In order to be allowed to practice the profession of a Heilpraktiker, an examination before a state medical association is necessary. This involves a written and an oral test, in which the prospective Heilpraktiker must answer a wide variety of questions on the subject of medicine, but also on various legal issues that encompass his professional profile. The written test consists of 60 multiple-choice questions, of which the subject must answer 45 correctly. In the oral examination, the mistakes made are often checked again. Prior training is not mandatory, although various (distance) learning institutes offer courses to prepare for the exam. The interested person has the opportunity to choose between the specialties “Heilpraktiker with full license” and “Heilpraktiker for psychotherapy“.
Treatments and therapies
A Heilpraktiker with full license may make diagnoses and offer therapies. In principle, there is freedom of therapy, which means that a Heilpraktiker with full license may use the therapy in which he specializes. Most Heilpraktiker use procedures from alternative medicine, such as phytotherapy, aromatherapy, physiotherapy, bioresonance therapy or homeopathy. Osteopaths are also usually alternative practitioners. A Heilpraktiker’s range of treatment is limited; for example, a Heilpraktiker may not provide obstetric care, may not engage in radiation therapy, may not provide dental care, and may not treat notifiable diseases. Prescription drugs may not be prescribed and narcotics may not be used. Apart from these restrictions, an alternative practitioner may practice medicine to the fullest extent. Typical areas of application are, for example, the treatment of sleep disorders or the restoration of pain-free movement for various back problems. Many alternative practitioners support women with menstrual problems or couples with an unfulfilled desire to have children, for example as a result of endometriosis. Heilpraktiker with a focus on psychotherapy are usually specialized in hypnosis (e.g. for smoking cessation), NLP and in autogenic training, family constellations and systemic therapy.
Diagnostic and examination methods
To the diagnosis and examination methods, the alternative practitioner has all the techniques and instruments available that a doctor also uses. However, as a rule, alternative practitioners work alternatively and specialize in gentle methods of healing. A Heilpraktiker therefore diagnoses illnesses rather than a doctor by listening, palpating the body and then giving comprehensive advice or working out therapies. Medical devices are only used for support, such as a stethoscope or an othoscope. A treatment couch is not missing naturally also in a welfare practical man practice. Many alternative practitioners use the techniques of laboratory medicine, for example, to test a patient’s blood. In bioresonance therapy, electrodes are placed on the patient’s skin to measure nerve voltage. If an alternative practitioner offers this therapy, he or she uses appropriate electrodes and technical apparatus to read the results.
What should the patient pay attention to?
In Germany, about 20,000 established alternative practitioners work with the various specialties. When choosing an alternative practitioner, a patient should first make sure that the form of therapy used by the alternative practitioner suits him. Just like with a doctor, the patient should be able to build up a trusting relationship with the alternative practitioner; a certain sympathy is therefore initially decisive for choosing the right alternative practitioner.The alternative practitioner should also have extensive professional experience or – if he is still a beginner – be able to rely on the experience of a colleague. Alternative practitioners cannot bill their services through a health insurance company, which means that the patient must pay for the treatment himself. Many health insurances take over a part of the costs afterwards; a serious alternative practitioner explains this before the conclusion of a treatment contract. Heilpraktiker are not subject to confidentiality, reputable Heilpraktiker commit themselves to this voluntarily.
