In a bid to address the looming healthcare workforce crisis, the head of the German Medical Association, Klaus Reinhardt, has called on the government to incentivize doctors to continue working beyond retirement age. According to Reinhardt, there is a potential of 20,000 additional full-time positions that could be filled if the right measures are taken.
The medical association chief emphasized the need to make it easier for doctors in retirement to re-enter the workforce, saying that this would be a significant step towards a sustainable healthcare workforce strategy. Specifically, he called for tax relief, exemption from social insurance contributions and reduced bureaucracy.
Many doctors, Reinhardt noted, find fulfillment and joy in their work with patients, but their voluntary engagement also deserves financial recognition. “Tax relief, such as the ‘Activ-Rente’ provision in the coalition agreement and the exemption from social insurance contributions would be strong signals” he said, referencing a non-representative online survey conducted by the German Medical Association and the Federal Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians.
The survey, published in the German Medical Journal, found that around three-quarters of the 5,000 participating doctors said they would consider continuing to work until the age of 70 or beyond, while about 20% thought it possible to do so until the age of 75 or older.
However, the survey also revealed that the doctors had conditions for continuing to work, with three factors being decisive: flexible work hours, reduced bureaucracy and financial incentives. “Someone who continues to work in retirement does not want to spend their time on business issues, personnel management, or bureaucracy” Reinhardt said, commenting on the survey’s findings.
Germany’s medical workforce is aging, with over 100,000 practicing doctors already over the age of 60, according to the 2024 German Medical Statistics. The current workforce shortage is already significant, with, for example, 5,000 general practitioner positions currently unfilled.