Struggling to Keep Up: Medical Practices in Schleswig-Holstein Grapple with Staff Shortages
Numerous medical practices in Schleswig-Holstein struggle with staff shortages. - Medical establishments in Schleswig-Holstein struggle with insufficient staffing levels.
In the heart of Schleswig-Holstein, many medical practices are feeling the strain as they grapple with a shortage of medical assistants (MFA). According to medical representatives, this staff deficit is taking a toll on daily operations.
As of late last year, there were 14,929 MFAs employed in Schleswig-Holstein practices, as per the Association of Medical Professions. The association's president, Hannelore König, notes, "The demographic trend is evident in this profession. The number of trainees has been dwindling since 2021."
Many MFAs are leaving the profession due to wage gaps when compared to the responsibility for their patients' health, daily stress, and other comparable health professions, as König clarifies. "Without MFAs," says Jens Lassen, chairman of the House Doctors' Association Schleswig-Holstein, "a practice is almost nothing."
The profession is exciting and varied, with practices in Schleswig-Holstein urgently seeking MFAs - even though Lassen couldn't provide specific numbers. He explains that a lack of MFAs directly reduces a practice's capacity, leading to increased waiting times, limitations in services, and increased workload for doctors.
According to Delf Kröger, spokesman for the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians in Bad Segeberg, "This is a pressing problem." Medical practices struggle to find well-trained MFAs, and they're crucial to a practice's success.
The staff shortage affects all specialties and forces doctors to compete with hospitals, which offer better terms. Kröger demands adequate funding for practices to offer competitive salaries and attract skilled employees.
The 2023 labor market shortage analysis by the Federal Employment Agency in the Schleswig-Holstein/Hamburg region showed that four out of six criteria indicated a shortage, with the ratio of job seekers to vacancies continuously decreasing.
Association president König believes the shortage will worsen in the future, as the baby boomer generation retires, and more MFAs will be needed to ease the burden on doctors. As long as the competition for medical assistants between hospitals and medical practices persists, the shortage in medical practices will continue to escalate, she says.
While there have been significant salary increases for medical technical assistants (MTA) in recent years, the gap with comparable professions remains substantial. MTAs have the same training duration as nursing professionals, and similarly high responsibilities. According to König, "This must also be reflected in the salary."
- Schleswig-Holstein Medical Staffing Crisis
- MFA Shortages
- Overpopulation Strain
- Doctors' Labour Woes
- Compensation Disparities
Enrichment Data:
Overall:
This critical staff shortage in Schleswig-Holstein's medical practices is multifaceted, with factors including:
- General Staff Shortages: Germany is currently experiencing a severe shortage of medical professionals across various roles, including MFAs[1].
- Demographic Changes and Urban-Rural Gaps: Schleswig-Holstein and other rural regions might struggle to attract staff due to fewer job opportunities and lower salaries compared to urban cities.
- Education and Training: Limited training programs and the unattractiveness of the MFA profession could contribute to an insufficient supply of trained workers.
Possible Solutions
- Enhanced Training Programs:
- More Opportunities: Offering more training slots and special programs for MFAs could boost supply.
- Financial Incentives: Providing students pursuing MFA training with scholarships or other financial assistance can make the profession more appealing.
- Retention Strategies:
- Competitive Salaries: Offering competitive compensation and benefits packages can help retain MFAs.
- Work-Life Balance: Implementing flexible work schedules and a positive work environment can boost job satisfaction.
- Recruitment Efforts:
- Targeted Recruitment: Focusing recruitment on underrepresented groups and international candidates can help fill the gaps.
- Immigration Simplification: Streamlining visa and residency processes for international candidates can encourage more professionals to relocate.
- Technology Integration:
- Digital Tools and Automation: Implementing digital tools and automation in medical practices can help reduce workload and improve efficiency.
- Collaboration and Partnerships:
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Encouraging teamwork between healthcare professionals can boost job satisfaction and overall healthcare system effectiveness.
- Partnerships with Educational Institutions: Partnering with local schools can ensure a consistent supply of trained MFAs.
By implementing these strategies, Schleswig-Holstein's hospitals and practices can better address the staff shortage and improve the region's healthcare services.
[1] https://www.bundesarbeitsamt.de/DE/Worldwide/actual/aktuell-de/aktuell_de_node.html
- The community policy should prioritize increasing vocational training opportunities in medical fields, such as vocational training for medical assistants (MFA), to help alleviate the staff shortages in Schleswig-Holstein.
- The health and wellness of Schleswig-Holstein's residents is at risk due to the ongoing staff shortages in medical practices, prompting the need for policy changes that encourage science and medical education to address the issue.
