Overview

• Ärztepräsident Klaus Reinhardt has cautioned that Germany's healthcare system is heading towards a 'Versorgungsnotstand' (supply emergency) without swift action to improve efficiency and coordination of care.
• Reinhardt advocates for a primary care physician model where patients register with a general practitioner to coordinate further treatment, aiming to reduce inefficiencies and improve outcomes.
• Germany has one of the highest rates of doctor consultations globally, with 9.6 visits per capita annually, yet patients, especially the elderly and chronically ill, are left to manage care coordination largely on their own.
• The coalition agreement between Union and SPD proposes reforms, including a mandatory referral system via primary care physicians, but patient advocacy groups have raised concerns about accessibility and implementation challenges.
• The upcoming Deutscher Ärztetag in Leipzig will bring together healthcare leaders and the new Bundesgesundheitsministerin Nina Warken to discuss pressing issues, including workforce shortages and the financial strain on health insurance providers.