Specialist Appointment Demand Outpaces Availability in Saxony-Anhalt, Doctors’ Group Seeks Solutions
Magdeburg – Demand for specialist medical appointments in Saxony-Anhalt continues to exceed available capacity, even as existing appointment-booking services aren’t fully utilized, according to a recent analysis by the state’s Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (Kassenärztliche vereinigung – KV). The KV is now pushing for new models to better direct patients to available care.
Since 2016, the KV has voiced concerns about the efficiency of the central appointment service. Despite doctors being required to report available appointments, meaningful numbers remain unfilled. This mismatch between supply and demand – both in terms of timing and location – leads to wasted capacity, the KV argues. The issue impacts patients seeking timely specialist care and places a burden on physicians managing appointment schedules.
Data from 2024 reveals that approximately 14 percent of patients scheduled through the 1166117 appointment service failed to attend their appointments, a slight betterment from around 18 percent in 2022.The KV believes addressing these no-show rates, alongside optimizing appointment allocation, is crucial to improving access to care.
The organization is actively developing new patient-steering models to address the ongoing challenges and ensure efficient use of available medical resources in Saxony-Anhalt.
