Saxony on the way: more doctors for rural care!

Saxony on the way: more doctors for rural care!

Sachsen, Deutschland - Saxony has set out to tackle the problem of the long of the doctor in rural areas, as Minister of Health Petra Köpping (SPD) explained in a current interim report. Positive developments have been found since the start of the youth program in 2022. The number of applicants for the land doctor program rose from 67 in 2022 to 130 in 2023. This shows that more and more young people are interested in working as doctors in rural areas. The average age of the applicants is 21 years, and two thirds of them are women, which is a pleasant trend in the age structure. The demolition rate within the program is also remarkably low. This [Borkener Zeitung] (https://www.borkenerzeitung.de/welt/in-ausland/Spolitik-bie-beuch-nach-landaerzten-auf-s- 641233.html) emphasizes that Saxony wants to secure medical care in the long term, with new approaches such as telemedicine and mobile practices being tried out.

A central component of the country doctor program is the obligation of the participants to work in a need for a need for at least 10 years. A legal regulation is also introduced, which provides that up to 40% of the medical study places are reserved for prospective doctors who are willing to practice in rural areas. If this obligation is not complied with, the applicant faces a repayment of 250,000 euros. This is a strong signal from the country in order to counteract the impending shortage of doctors, which is not only Saxony, but also a problem nationwide. According to MDR there are currently around 371 vacant household items in rural areas of Saxony and in 30 of the 48 planning areas threatens to supply.

Medical deficiency in rural areas

The reasons for the shortage of doctors are diverse. Restings, an increasing part -time quota and the growing number of older and multimorbid patients represent important factors. It is particularly alarming that around 30 percent of general practitioners in Saxony are over 60 years old and could soon retire. This means a high need for practical successors, as the example of Maximilian Braun shows, which illustrates the long training period of doctors. It is important for rural areas to find suitable solutions in good time to ensure adequate medical care. At this point, the country doctor program comes into play, which not only counts the study places, but also wants to actively bring new doctors to underground areas.

In order to increase the attractiveness of rural medical practices, doctors who remain beyond the statutory retirement age also receive a bonus. This compensation could be an incentive for experienced doctors to maintain their practices longer. Projects such as this are designed to sustainably support medical care in rural areas, because by 2033/2034 the first graduates of the program will likely be able to take over their practices, according to the [Borkener Zeitung] (https://www.borkenerzeitung.de/welt/in-ausland/politik-inland/sachsen-beuche-nach-landaerzten-auf-burs- 641233.html).

summarized it can be said that Saxony is on a promising path through the country doctor program and other innovative measures to counteract the impending shortage of doctors. The demand for doctors in rural areas will also increase in the coming years, and it is now due to the country and those responsible to set the right course to ensure health care for all citizens.