Thuringia is gaining more doctors and nurses: a ray of hope for health!

Thuringia is gaining more doctors and nurses: a ray of hope for health!

A lot is happening in the healthcare system in Thuringia. The increase in the number of employees in hospitals is generating a positive response. Loud thueringen.de In 2024, an annual average of 4,848 full-time professionals worked in the local clinics. Compared to the 4,771 employees in 2023 and 4,672 in 2022, this represents an encouraging trend. And that's not all: the number of nursing staff has also increased, with 12,251 employees caring for patients. That is significantly more than the 11,914 employees in the previous year.

A look at the treatment statistics shows that fully inpatient cases increased by 2.2 percent to 530,164 from 2023 to 2024. Interestingly, the average length of stay in hospitals was 7.1 days - a small decrease compared to 7.2 days in 2023. Despite these positive developments, there are still unfilled positions in hospitals, indicating a continued high demand for skilled workers.

Medical staff on the rise

The Thuringia State Hospital Association assesses the situation optimistically. Managing director Rainer Poniewaß emphasizes that the medical profession has become more attractive and that young people and foreign specialists in particular are increasingly coming to Thuringia. A decisive factor: Around two thirds of the professional recognition procedures completed in Thuringia in 2024 were applied for by foreign doctors and nursing staff. A total of 922 recognition procedures for foreign professional qualifications were completed.

The need for qualified personnel is also underlined by medical-technical developments and the increasing quality requirements for medicine. It is becoming increasingly clear: clinics, doctor's practices and laboratories benefit from international exchange and the involvement of specialists. But what about the legal framework for foreign skilled workers?

Recognition of foreign qualifications

In order to work as a doctor, dentist, pharmacist or psychotherapist in Germany, a valid license or a temporary professional permit is required. The Thuringian State Administration Office, which is also responsible for the application, provides information on this. It is possible to apply for both permits at the same time, which makes it easier for those affected to carry out their professional activities during the processing time. This also means that appropriate language skills must be demonstrated. So anyone who is thinking about working in Thuringia should consult the information from Thuringia State Administration Office claim.

We are going into the future with an obviously good feeling. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop, but the current figures give cause for hope and show how important the training and integration of young and foreign specialists is in order to continue to successfully fulfill this demanding job in the healthcare system.