Community nurse Inge: Rescue for rural regions in MV!

Community nurse Inge: Rescue for rural regions in MV!

In rural regions, medical care is becoming more and more of an issue. Regina Göritzlehner plays a crucial role with her “Sister Inge” project, particularly in the Mecklenburg Lake District, where the medical workforce has shrunk drastically in recent years. The 58-year-old community nurse is part of the Health Department Information Center (InGe) project, which was launched in 2023 and aims to provide basic care and advice for people in rural areas where there is a shortage of doctors. Baltic Sea newspaper reports that “Sister Inge” not only offers basic medical care, but also acts as a listener for people’s worries and needs.

Characterized by an individual approach, their services include blood pressure measurements and answering questions about care and social services. These low-threshold and anonymous advice offers have already reached around 3,000 people seeking advice in recent years and show how important such initiatives are, especially in rural regions, where specialized medical services are often inadequately represented.

The need is growing

The challenges of health care in rural areas should not be underestimated. One argument that is often highlighted is the unequal distribution of medical facilities compared to urban areas. According to the Federal Agency for Civic Education There are significantly fewer doctors per resident, which not only makes it more difficult to reach specialists, but also becomes a significant problem, especially for older citizens, who often have a higher burden of illness.

The low population density in many rural areas not only results in long travel distances for patients, but also makes specialized doctors more economically viable, meaning that many patients living nearby often rely on their family doctor. An example from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania shows that 10,500 children and young people live more than 20 kilometers from the nearest pediatrician.

A look into the future

Although the “Sister Inge” project will be funded through the Pact to Strengthen the Public Health Service until the end of 2026, the question remains about the future of the services offered. The local population has expressed a strong interest in continuing and possibly even expanding the project. The concept also shows how a community can improve the quality of life of its citizens when looking at innovative solutions such as telemedicine offers or mobile health services. These approaches could be the key to sustainably improving healthcare in rural areas and making a real difference in people's lives.

Through her commitment and initiative, community nurse Regina Göritzlehner has proven that it is possible to make a valuable contribution to improving health care even in times of doctor shortages. These forms of basic care are not only reminiscent of historical approaches from the GDR, but are also a modern and necessary step in the right direction.