Faced with shortages in outpatient care despite a rise in the number of doctors, the Association of General Practitioners warns that the situation could worsen.
Last year, for the first time in a while, more physicians worked as employees or on part‑time contracts. “This is a trend we have been warning about for years” said the association’s federal chair Markus Beier in an interview with the Funke Media Group’s Friday papers. “While students are increasingly attracted to general practice, the numbers are still insufficient to fill the gaps that part‑time work creates”.
Beier pointed out that solutions already exist: “A decisive expansion of teamwork in practices would free up doctors from many tasks” citing studies that confirm the benefit. “It is absurd that health insurers are now proposing cost cuts as part of planned savings reforms”.
He warned that if general‑practice services are no longer fully reimbursed, young doctors will be less inclined to choose this field, and that the number of practices forced to shut down early in certain regions will rise. “Those who push for abolishing budgeting for general‑ and pediatric care are deliberately allowing the situation to become increasingly severe” Beier said. He added that patients could face months‑long waits for appointments, the same problem already seen in some specialty fields.
“Those who do not want this outcome should urgently stop advocating for the dismantling of budget controls on general‑practice clinics”.