Shortage of doctors: More than 60,000 doctors in practices work part-time

The number of doctors in practices has continued to rise. At the end of last year, there were 187,441 doctors and psychotherapists licensed to care for those with statutory health insurance. This emerges from an evaluation by the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV), which is available to the dpa news agency. This was 2,143 more than at the end of 2022. However, for the first time there were more than 60,000 part-time doctors.

For the first time in several years, there was no decline in general practitioner practices. According to the Federal Medical Register, as of December 31, 2023, there were 51,389 general practitioners, 75 more than at the end of 2022. Ten years earlier, however, there were still 52,262 general practitioners.

“On-site practice is a factor of social stability,” said KBV boss Andreas Gassen. If Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) is right about wanting to strengthen outpatient care, then the aim must be to improve the framework conditions for the practices and not to force them into an increasingly rigid set of rules. The general practitioners and specialists are the backbone of care with one billion patient contacts per year.

This article will continue to be updated.