Germany healthcare survey: Patients seek better appointment transparency

A representative survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of SBK Siemens-Betriebskrankenkasse reveals significant challenges regarding medical appointment scheduling in Germany. Approximately 58 percent of respondents find searching for doctor appointments to be time-consuming, while 71 percent report difficulty in finding available slots.

Data shows that 74 percent of those surveyed desire a better overview of available appointments. Although 68 percent currently book appointments through direct contact with practices, 73 percent expressed interest in using a centralized online portal to aggregate available times.

Furthermore, 80 percent of respondents perceive that privately insured patients receive appointments more quickly than those with statutory health insurance. To address these issues, the SBK advocates for a digitally supported primary care system that utilizes standardized initial assessments to help patients find appropriate care and assign appointments based on medical urgency, regardless of insurance status.