Medical Association Leader Warns: Germany Faces Critical Shortage of Medical Supplies
German Healthcare System at a Crisis Point: Medical Association President Warns of Supply Shortage
The German healthcare system, notorious for its high costs and inefficiency, is on the brink of a supply crisis, according to the President of the German Medical Association, Klaus Reinhardt. He is urging politicians to take immediate action to reform the system.
Reinhardt has expressed concern about potential impairments in the medical network for patients if there are not swift reforms for increased efficiency. "Our healthcare system is hurtling towards a supply crisis if we don't take decisive action," said the head of the German Medical Association.
A crucial approach to addressing this issue, Reinhardt believes, is improving steering in supply. He suggests that patients should register with a general practitioner's practice, which would then coordinate further treatment. This approach would streamline care, particularly for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, chronically ill, and those with lower health literacy.
The German healthcare system currently places a heavy burden on patients to organize and coordinate their care, and this inefficiency is no longer sustainable given personnel shortages and limited financial resources, Reinhardt notes. Germany has one of the highest rates of doctor visits per capita, with an average of 9.6 visits per person annually. In certain regions, every second person has an average of two general practitioners.
Measures outlined in the coalition agreement point towards the right direction. The Union and SPD plan to introduce a system where patients primarily go to a general practitioner's practice, which then refers them to specialists as needed. Reinhardt stresses that this referral system should not act as access control but should only occur when further specialist treatment is required or expected.
The president of the German Medical Association also emphasized the urgent need for action. "The population is aging, their medical needs are increasing. At the same time, more and more specialists are leaving the system due to age - without sufficient new recruits," Reinhardt said.
In related news, the German Medical Assembly, which begins this Tuesday in Leipzig, will also focus on the topic of a more efficient supply. New Federal Minister of Health, Nina Warken, is expected to attend.
Enrichment Data: The core recommendations of Klaus Reinhardt focus on quickly increasing medical workforce capacity by reinstating retirees and streamlining patient care to avoid unnecessary demand, thereby addressing both supply and inefficiency concerns threatening the German healthcare system. The proposed coalitions' measures also include a system where patients primarily go to a general practitioner's practice, which then refers them to specialists as needed when further specialist treatment is required or expected. The German Medical Association's call for action aligns with the upcoming availability of a large pseudonymized health data set starting in Summer 2025, which can support medical research and system improvement by allowing better analysis and innovation in health service delivery, potentially indirectly supporting the inefficiency concerns in the system.
The President of the German Medical Association, Klaus Reinhardt, emphasizes the necessity of a reformed healthcare system to combat potential impairments in the medical network for patients, advocating for increased efficiency through strategies like vocational training for more healthcare professionals and community policy changes, such as steering in supply and the primary use of general practitioners for patient coordination. Reinhardt also notes the urgency for improving science in medical field, as the aging population's medical needs continue to increase without sufficient young specialists to replace the retiring ones. This situation is further complicated by the inefficiency in the system, with Germany having one of the highest rates of doctor visits per capita, highlighting the need for a more efficient health supply.
