Hospital Reform Advancement in Action: Commemorating German Doctors' Day
The 129th German Medical Assembly has spoken out in favor of continuing and further developing the hospital reform proposed by the new federal government. The gathering in Leipzig underscored the need for a review and fine-tuning of both the performance group system and the advance payment system for this purpose. They emphasized that extending the convergence phase and adjusting legal interim steps provided sufficient timeframes without halting the reform as a whole.
The Medical Assembly also welcomed the planned measures designed to stabilize hospitals financially and fund the share for the transformation fund from the special asset infrastructure for statutory health insurance (GKV). Delegates urged the federal government to swiftly implement the administrative relief act in healthcare, expecting a reduction in control mechanisms by the Medical Service.
In terms of specific demands, the Assembly called for a practice-oriented development of the performance group system, with adjustments made to the case assignment, quality criteria, and Medical Service inspection concept for each of the initially planned 61 performance groups. They also requested a comprehensive review and elimination of perverse incentives within the remuneration system, aiming for a more predictable and case number-independent form of payment.
On the topic of medical training, the Assembly urged the federal government to ensure and fortify medical training across sectors. Hospitals participating in regional, location- and sector-spanning training alliances recognized by the responsible state medical associations should receive preferential consideration when making selection decisions within performance group allocations. The Assembly also stressed the importance of removing legal hurdles for successful training alliance implementation, such as regulations on temporary work, and implementing financial support for training in both stationary and outpatient areas.
Addressing medical staffing, the Assembly insisted that a patient- and task-oriented staffing structure is essential for sustainable, high-quality patient care. They welcomed legislative provisions for needs-based medical staffing for inpatient medical treatment, the testing and implementation of a suitable staffing tool, and the prompt introduction of APS-BAK through a regulation under § 137m (3) SGB V, based on ongoing evaluation. Furthermore, the personnel costs determined by APS-BAK should be considered within the holding allowance.
In addition to hospital reform components, the Assembly also made demands related to the electronic patient record (ePA). They called for improved user-friendliness and security, rapid implementation of electronic narcotics prescriptions, restricted data access, and the protection of minors’ data. However, no concrete resolutions regarding the performance group system, remuneration, medical training, medical staffing, or crisis resilience related to hospital reform were found in the public documents available at the time of writing.
Sources: German Medical Association, May 30, 2025 / Photo: Dr. Klaus Reinhardt (c) Christian Glawe-Griebel / Helliwood
[1] Enrichment Data (if relevant): The primary focus in current reporting is on the digitalization and security of patient records, with main resolutions focusing on user-friendliness, security, electronic narcotics prescriptions, data access, and protection for minors' data in relation to the electronic patient record (ePA). No specific demands related to hospital reform components (performance groups, remuneration, training, staffing, crisis resilience) were detailed in the currently available public documents.
Other science in the realm of health-and-wellness should look into improving the user-friendliness and security of electronic patient records (ePA), as this is the primary focus in current reporting. Medical-conditions, particularly those related to medical-staffing and training, are under review in the hospital reform, as the Medical Assembly has made specific demands for patient- and task-oriented staffing structures, strengthening medical training across sectors, and a more predictable remuneration system.
