Struggling Medical Practices in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern due to Lack of Medical Assistants
Medical practitioner workplaces across MV face shortages in the number of available medical assistants. - Strained Medical Staffing in MV Leads to Shortage of Medical Professionals
Hey there! Let's talk about the healthcare scene in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, where numerous medical practices are finding it tough due to a shortage of Medical Assistants (MFA). According to the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (KVMV), this is a headache for many physicians.
As of last year, there were roughly 6,422 MFAs working in practices across the region, as reported by the Association of Medical Professions (VMF). However, the situation isn't looking so hot, says VMF President Hannelore König. "The number of trainees has been on a downward spiral since 2021," she explains.
MFA are also bailing out of the profession, reasons König, "because the salary - given the responsibility for health, daily stress, and other comparable healthcare professions - is too low."
Physicians are seeing increased problems
KVMV's Grit Büttner admits they don't have solid numbers on unfilled MFA positions in medical practices, but they're hearing more and more complaints about recruitment woes. They expect the situation to worsen in the future.
The cause of the shortage, according to KVMV, isn't the attractiveness of the profession but rather demographic change. The MFA profession still holds high regard. "The versatility and extensive knowledge lead trained MFAs to be poached by other areas," explains the KVMV spokesperson, "meaning medical practices are in competition with hospitals, health insurance companies, and providers of healing services."
König also predicts a greater shortage in the future. "On one hand, the baby boomer generation will soon retire, and on the other hand, more MFAs will be needed to ease physicians' workload," she says.
Addressing the competition distortion is key
As long as the competitive distortion between MFAs in medical practices and clinics persists, the MFA shortage in medical practices will continue to worsen, particularly in larger cities and areas near clinics.
The VMF has managed to secure significant salary increases for MFAs in recent years. Yet, the salary gap compared to other professions is still significant. MFAs have the same training duration as nursing professionals and carry the same level of responsibility for patients, says the VMF President.
To alleviate the shortage, the KVMV is primarily advocating for an increase in the number of training places for MFAs and has launched a campaign to promote MFA training.
- Healthcare Shortage
- Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
- Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians
- Schwerin
Extra Insights:
- In September 2025, the Academy of Health is expanding to Greifswald, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. This move aims to increase nursing education opportunities, indirectly contributing to healthcare worker availability[1].
- Broadening healthcare training opportunities could lead to more skilled workers in the field, potentially helping to tackle the MFA shortage.
- National and regional policies aimed at addressing healthcare workforce shortages may be underway, although specific details are not provided in the available information.
- The Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (KVMV) could benefit from the expansion of the Academy of Health to Greifswald in September 2025, as it may increase nursing education opportunities and indirectly contribute to healthcare worker availability.
- To address the shortage of Medical Assistants (MFA) in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, it's essential to broaden healthcare training opportunities and advocate for an increase in the number of training places for MFAs, as proposed by the KVMV. Additionally, promoting vocational training in MFA could help increase the number of trainees and potentially reduce the deepening crisis in the medical field.
[1] National and regional policies aimed at addressing healthcare workforce shortages may be underway, although specific details are not provided in the available information. This could include initiatives focusing on science, medical-conditions, health-and-wellness, and community policy to attract more individuals to pursue careers in healthcare.
