A lack of doctors is increasing: Pediatricians in NRW at the limit!

A lack of doctors is increasing: Pediatricians in NRW at the limit!

In North Rhine-Westphalia, the situation is dramatically pushing for pediatricians. High infection figures strain pediatric care, especially in rural regions. This leads to worries about possible supply bottlenecks, as Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU) emphasizes. The districts of Euskirchen, Oberbergischer Kreis, Olpe, Kleve, Höxter and Minden-Lübbecke are particularly affected, where the levels of supply are sometimes below 100 percent. Despite the overall rated pediatric care, vacant positions are an increasing problem.

Currently 15 positions for pediatricians are unoccupied in Westphalia-Lippe, mostly in East Westphalia. You can see an urgent need for action in cities such as Bielefeld, where the search for successors for the age -related doctors is difficult. An alarming fact is that 28 percent of pediatricians in the region are over 60 years old. The high capacity utilization of the existing practices due to the multitude of cold infections is an additional challenge.

Medical deficiency affects all of Germany

The shortage of skilled workers in pediatricians is not only shown in North Rhine-Westphalia. In Germany, more and more parents, especially during the wave of colds, have to cope with overloaded pediatric practices and long waiting times. Many of these practices no longer accept new patients due to their high demand. In some regions, such as the northern Black Forest, parents of extreme difficulties report to find a pediatrician and often have to accept routes of over an hour.

an online petition, initiated by Maximilian Kumpf and Benjamin Weihing, calls on the state government and the association of health insurance. The lack of pediatricians often results from the fact that many doctors retire without suitable successors being available. The situation for parents whose children are dependent on timely medical care is particularly critical.

causes and solutions

The causes of the shortage of doctors are diverse. In recent years, the number of pediatricians in Germany has only increased by around 1,000 to 8,395 between 2014 and 2023. At the same time, part -time work has increased among doctors, which leads to a decline in the contract medical capacity. Over a quarter of the pediatricians in Germany is 60 or older and will soon retire.

To deal with these challenges, doctors and parents are increasingly demanding political measures. This includes increasing medical study places, improvements in further training and a reduction in bureaucratic hurdles. The Federal Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians has supported these claims and emphasizes the need to create more attractive framework conditions for the establishment of doctors. The President of the Baden-Württemberg State Medical Association, Dr. Wolfgang Miller also emphasizes the need to promote appreciation for doctors and practice staff in order to reduce mental stress in the industry.

The dramatic situation in the North Rhine-Westphalian healthcare system shows a clear need for action that affects not only politics, but also society as a whole. Parents who are faced with the situation are recommended to contact the patient service on the free number 116117 to receive support in the search for a pediatrician.

Overall, it can be seen that medical care in Germany faces major challenges that have to be addressed as soon as possible to ensure a functioning health system in the future.