Struggling to Keep Up: Schleswig-Holstein's Doctor Practices in a Staff Shortage Crisis
Numerous medical practices within Schleswig-Holstein face workforce deficiencies - Medical facilities across Schleswig-Holstein struggle with insufficient staffing.
They're the backbone of every doctor's practice, the unsung heroes of the healthcare sector—Medical Assistants (MFA). But, Schleswig-Holstein's doctor practices are reeling under a severe shortage of these crucial healthcare workers. The day-to-day operations are crumbling, as per doctor representatives.
According to the Association of Medical Professions, as of mid-last year, there were 14,929 MFA working in Schleswig-Holstein practices. However, the association president, Hannelore König, warns, "The demographic development is also mirrored in this profession. The number of trainees has been decreasing since 2021."
Many MFA are calling it quits due to low salary, a comparison with the enormous responsibility they shoulder for patients' health, daily stress, and other comparable health professions. "Without MFA, a practice is almost nothing," emphasizes Jens Lassen, chairman of the House Doctors Association Schleswig-Holstein.
The profession is thrilling and challenging, with recent leaps in development. Yet, Schleswig-Holstein houses numerous practices desperate for MFA, alas, Lassen could not provide specific figures.
Lassen sheds light on the consequences, "This is a pressing problem. A shortage of MFA directly limits a practice's performance, and the immediate impact is seen on patient care: longer waiting times, restrictions in the range of services, increased workload for doctors."
The Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians Schleswig-Holstein concurs, "We know that the shortage of skilled workers in practices is a substantial problem and greatly affects doctors." It's a tough nut to crack for doctors to land competent MFA. Well-trained medical assistants are the lifeblood of a practice.
The staff shortage looms over all specialties. Doctors also report a rampant poaching of skilled workers by competitors, such as hospitals, which offer better conditions. "Therefore, we demand adequate funding for doctor's practices. They must be able to pay good skilled workers as employers," insists Kröger.
The 2023 skilled labor shortage analysis by the Federal Employment Agency in the Schleswig-Holstein/Hamburg region echoes this predicament. The ratio of job seekers to vacancies has been dwindling, recovering only post-exams. In Schleswig-Holstein, this value was above 1.1 for several months in 2024.
President König anticipates that the shortage will amplify in the future. "Because on the one hand, the baby boomer generation is approaching retirement, and on the other hand, more MFA are needed to alleviate doctors," she says. As long as the competition distortion for medical assistants between doctor's practices and hospitals persists, the shortage in doctor's practices will continue to worsen, shows König.
The association of medical professions has managed to secure significant salary increases for MFA recently. Yet, the difference to comparable professions remains significant. MFA have identical training duration as nursing professionals, spanning three years, and shoulder the same responsibility for patients. This disparity in remuneration needs to be addressed, asserts König.
"The prerequisite for this—as in nursing—is that the increases in collective wage agreements are co-financed and thus fully taken into account in the financing of the services provided by practicing physicians," explains König.
To tackle this issue, a multi-faceted approach is required. Some potential solutions include:
- Training and Education Initiatives: Encouraging vocational training and continuing education in the healthcare sector can boost the number of medical assistants.
- Recruitment Strategies: Proactive recruitment efforts, including international recruitment, and offering competitive salaries can attract more candidates.
- Work Environment Improvements: Enhancing work environments and conditions, such as flexible working hours, employee wellness programs, and a supportive work culture, can improve job satisfaction and retention rates among medical assistants.
- Technological Integration: Employing technology like telehealth services can reduce workload and boost efficiency, making the role more appealing.
- Collaboration with Educational Institutions: Partnering with local educational institutions to promote healthcare careers and provide pathways for students can ensure a steady supply of new medical assistants.
Referenced Places:- Schleswig-Holstein- Schleswig- Holstein
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Solving this crisis necessitates a multifaceted approach. Here are potential solutions and measures:
Potential Solutions
- Training and Education Initiatives: Implementing targeted education and training programs can help augment the number of medical assistants.
- Recruitment Strategies: Active recruitment efforts, including international recruitment, and offering competitive salaries and benefits can help fill the void.
- Work Environment Improvements: Reinforcing work environments and conditions can enhance job satisfaction and retention rates among medical assistants.
- Technological Integration: Utilizing technology, such as telehealth services, can streamline processes and make the role more enticing.
- Collaboration with Educational Institutions: Partnering with local educational institutions to promote healthcare careers and offer entry paths can ensure a continued influx of new medical assistants.
- To address the issue of staff shortage in Schleswig-Holstein, focusing on enhancement of vocational training and continuing education in the health and wellness sector could attract more medical assistants, thereby bolstering the workforce.
- With medical-conditions such as stress and low salary driving many medical assistants to leave, implementing proactive recruitment strategies including international recruitment and offering competitive salaries can help entice more candidates, particularly in science-related vocational fields.
