Health Minister Nina Warken has put the German primary‑care system into motion, a move welcomed by the German General Practitioners Association. The association’s chair, Markus Beier, praised the Minister’s decision and highlighted the reform’s huge potential, arguing that it hinges on the strength of general‑practice networks: “The success of a primary‑care system depends on our family‑practice practices”.
Beier also warned against the idea of a mandatory digital first‑assessment platform for patients. He said insurers are decidedly opposed to turning such a system into the first point of contact. “A digital triage dictated by a standard form has nothing to do with a primary‑care system” Beier said. He added that compulsory digital triage would neither ease the healthcare system nor improve patient care.
“The core of primary‑care is a strong, reliable doctor‑patient bond” he explained. “In our practices up to 90 % of health problems are resolved. No call centre can match that. Initial contact through the familiar family‑practice must remain the gold standard of out‑patient care”.