German Health Ministers Back GPs as Central Care Coordinators

Germany's health ministers have agreed to bolster patient care by empowering general practitioners (GPs) to act as central coordinators. The ministers, concluding their conference in Hannover, envision GPs as the first point of contact, guiding patients through the healthcare system and referring them to specialists.

Andreas Philippi, the current chair of the conference and Lower Saxony's health minister, emphasized the need for well-trained GPs, pediatricians, and internists. "We need many well-trained general practitioners, pediatricians, and internists who treat people at the grassroots level and determine the next step at the first level," Philippi stated. He likened their role to "signalmen" directing patient flow.

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We need many well-trained general practitioners, pediatricians, and internists who treat people at the grassroots level and determine the next step at the first level.

The conference unanimously urged Federal Health Minister Nina Warken to expedite the implementation of this model, with a draft proposal expected by late summer. The plan also suggests an expanded role for pharmacies, including offering vaccinations and check-ups. While initial testing in model regions was considered, the ministers are now looking towards 2028 for the first tangible effects.

Separately, the health ministers signaled openness to discussions regarding controversial cuts to hospital financing. This follows a dispute over how to cover increased costs for hospital staff salaries. The federal government's proposal to not fully reimburse these increases through statutory health insurance, aimed at stabilizing contribution rates, had drawn protests from thousands of healthcare workers in Hannover.

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Like 'signalmen' they should steer the patient flows and refer people to specialists.