Healthcare: Doctors for more appointment control - with incentives
Where to go first when ill? To make the system more efficient and reduce waiting times, patients are to be directed more specifically to specialists. Do they adhere to it?
Germany's medical association and healthcare coalition are planning to introduce a primary care system where patients first visit a general practitioner before being referred to a specialist if needed. The goal is to reduce waiting times and improve efficiency, with patients who follow the rules potentially facing shorter wait times than those who don't.
The system, set to launch in 2028, will also include online assessments of patient complaints before practice visits. Medical associations and patient advocacy groups are weighing in on the plan, with some warning against penalizing patients for seeking specialist care directly.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
