Lack of doctors in Baruth: City urgently is looking for new doctors!

Lack of doctors in Baruth: City urgently is looking for new doctors!

Baruth/Mark, Deutschland - In the Teltow-Fläming region, an alarming development is based in the health sector. The city of Baruth/Mark is forced to actively search for new doctors in order to counteract an impending lack of general practitioner. This reports [maz-online.de] (https://www.maz-online.de/lokales/teltow-flaeming/arzt-gesucht-maz-wahltalk-polk-polk-an-schule-fmv4 5J2udvbo3dgmlk4wpkfaiq.html? Mst_Prev_website = MAZ & MST_PREV_PAGE_ID = zdsioit3fvhjhfn43xpdigsd6m & mst_Prev_link_type = Article). Almost every third family doctor in the region is already over 60 years old, which the situation is also tense. In order to proactively meet these challenges, the city has been operating a medical care center (MVZ) since 2021.

The plans to further expand the MVZ and hire additional specialists are already on the agenda. This wants to ensure that medical care in the region will continue to be guaranteed in the future. The shortage of doctors is not only noticeable in Teltow-Fläming, but a nationwide problem in many rural areas in Germany, as studies show.

Medical deficiency as a nationwide problem

Already now there are no more than 10 general practitioners in some German counties. According to information from [doctor-wirtschafts.de] (https://www.arzar-wirtschaft.de/news/aerzedicht-in-deutschland-2024-wo-fehlen- Meististen-Kedperzer), the average medical density in Germany is 4.5 doctors per 1,000 inhabitants. In rural areas, however, this number is alarming low and is sometimes below 1.9. Particularly weak regions fight with the emigration of young doctors who often prefer more flexible work models in clinics or MVZs.

The reasons for the decline in the medical density are diverse. An outdated medical profession, in which 30% of doctors are over 60 years old, high financial hurdles for the branch as well as a lack of incentives such as infrastructure and career opportunities are just a few of the challenges. Forecasts indicate that around 12,000 general practitioners will be missing by 2035, which could further tighten the situation. This attracts long waiting times during specialist dates and an overload of the emergency rooms.

municipal solutions

In order to meet these challenges, many municipalities rely on the establishment of MVZS. As the MDR reports, another MVZ is currently being built in the south of Krauschwitz with the aim of ensuring medical care. The company is founded by the municipality and it is expected that it later bears itself through the sales achieved.

Such models could also be of interest to Baruth/Mark to win young doctors and maintain medical care in the long term. The advantage of the municipal MVZ is that the doctors are employed there and have to overcome fewer bureaucratic hurdles. This makes the job for freshly trained doctors more attractive.

While the communities in Teltow-Fläming and beyond are creatively working on solutions, the situation remains tense. The political measures, such as the introduction of a land doctor quota and financial subsidies for branches in sub -provision, are important steps to get the lack of doctors under control. But the clock ticks, and there is a lot to do to make the home regions future -proof.