New MVZ Luckenwalde: Pediatric care should be improved!

New MVZ Luckenwalde: Pediatric care should be improved!

There is good news for families in Luckenwalde: the round table on pediatric care has proven to be effective. Like the city administration of Luckenwalde reported, the order for the priority processing of a building application for a medical care center (MVZ) at Beelitzer Tor was successfully completed. After just nine weeks, the Teltow-Fläming Lower Building Inspectorate approved the application.

The goal of these structural measures is ambitious: by creating new capacities, acute pediatric consultations are to be offered in order to counteract the shortage of pediatricians in the region. This need was already addressed at the first round table on July 31st, which was convened by District Administrator Kornelia Wehlan. The approval of the building application now enables timely adjustments that should ensure a noticeable improvement in pediatric care in Luckenwalde.

Support and incentives for pediatricians

But it's not just the structural expansion that promises improvement. The Brandenburg Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KVBB) has selected Luckenwalde and Jüterbog as additional funding regions for pediatric care. Pediatricians who work on an outpatient basis in these areas can receive a subsidy of up to 55,000 euros. This is particularly important because several pediatric practices in the MVZ clinics in these cities will no longer be available by the end of 2025. From January 2026, there will only be one female pediatrician available in Luckenwalde, which puts additional strain on the situation, as the nearest pediatric service in Trebbin is around 20 kilometers away. So provides the KVBB It is clear that these incentives are intended to ensure sustainable supply.

Concern about medical care is particularly relevant for rural regions. According to the Federal Agency for Civic Education bpb The question remains how to ensure high-quality healthcare for all people, regardless of where they live. In rural areas, the health infrastructure is often less developed than in urban centers, resulting in longer travel distances and limited access to specialized services.

The challenge in these regions is also reflected in the demographic development: an older population with a higher incidence of illness meets a small number of children, which makes the economic viability of pediatric practices more difficult. Therefore, innovative solutions are needed that can close existing gaps in healthcare.

Collaboration and innovation

In order to be able to respond better to the needs of the population in the future, cooperation between different health professions and the use of telemedicine options are crucial. These approaches could help to sustainably improve the supply landscape in Luckenwalde and beyond.

Overall, the latest developments in Luckenwalde show that the cities are ready to face the challenges in medical care. The creation of an MVZ and the promotion of new incentives for pediatricians in private practice could be decisive steps to significantly improve health care, especially for the youngest citizens.