Rising Specialist Appointment Wait Times Spur Health Policy Actions in Germany

German patients face growing challenges securing timely specialist appointments, with average waits climbing to 42 days in 2024—nine days longer than in 2019, according to SPD health spokesperson Christos Pantazis. He described this trend as a serious warning signal, urging the government to guarantee appointment availability and adopt a holistic healthcare organizational approach. Pantazis expressed optimism about the coalition government's plans to implement a modern primary care system designed to smartly and medically manage patient care. Adding to concerns, Green Party health spokesperson Janosch Dahmen labeled these prolonged waits as unacceptable, criticizing ineffective management and unnecessary specialist referrals that congest important appointment slots.

In response, Brandenburg's Health Minister Britta Müller has launched a funding initiative to strengthen municipal Medical Care Centers (MVZ) as part of broader strategies to enhance rural healthcare provision. The initiative allocates up to 40 million euros for investments, with 12 million euros designated for 2026. This funding supports projects aimed at developing outpatient and cross-sector healthcare infrastructure. Additionally, Brandenburg is creating legal frameworks to assist municipalities in establishing and operating these centers by addressing liability and insurance barriers, promoting stable and evolving local healthcare structures.

Together, these developments highlight escalating pressures on specialist access in Germany and concerted policy efforts to improve healthcare delivery, especially in underserved rural regions.