Study: Teamwork could alleviate shortage of family doctors - Germany's GP shortage could ease by shifting routine tasks to trained assistants
A new study suggests that delegating routine medical tasks could ease the growing shortage of GPs in Germany. Two-thirds of general practitioners believe qualified healthcare professionals could take on more responsibilities, such as handling directions for patient care. This shift would allow doctors to concentrate on complex cases while reducing their workload by up to two-thirds.
The Bertelsmann Stiftung report highlights that around 12,000 specially trained practice assistants—such as NäPA, VERAH, and Physician Assistants—could handle maps of delegable tasks by 2030. Many of these professionals are already working in the system. Their roles might include technical diagnostics, monitoring chronic conditions, wound care, and patient education.
Doctors are open to transferring duties like injections, vaccinations, routine exams, and drafting rehabilitation applications. However, most remain reluctant to delegate acute home visits or medication adjustments to non-physician staff. The goal is to free up GPs for more critical work, such as diagnostic decisions and patient consultations.
In 2022, Germany had 476,814 medical assistants, though not all are trained for these expanded roles. If fully implemented, this model could help fill the projected gap of 8,200 unfilled GP positions by 2030. Rural areas, where doctor shortages are most severe, would benefit the most from this approach.
The proposed delegation of tasks could address staffing shortages faster than training new doctors. With nearly 12,000 qualified assistants available, the system could reduce pressure on GPs while maintaining patient care standards. The next step will depend on how quickly practices adopt this model and expand training programmes.
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