Rising Count of Individuals Outside the Workforce
In recent years, the number of suicides in Germany has risen, according to Eugen Brysch, a board member of the German Foundation for Patient Protection. This alarming trend is linked to the ongoing issue of long wait times for psychotherapy appointments, a problem that stems from a mismatch between high demand and insufficiently transparent availability of therapy places, particularly for severely mentally ill patients.
The GKV association, the top association of statutory health insurance funds, has identified this issue and proposed a solution. They suggest a legal obligation for psychotherapists to report their available therapy capacities, creating a centralized registry that tracks free therapy spots. This system would enable patients to be matched quickly and efficiently with available therapists, rather than waiting for openings to be found ad hoc.
The structure of Germany’s healthcare system also contributes to the problem. Patients must first get a referral from a GP before accessing psychotherapy, which can add time. Additionally, there is a growing demand for mental health services due to ongoing stigma reduction, but providers are struggling to keep pace.
The GKV association is advocating for an appropriate number of consultation hours and half of the treatment spots of psychotherapists to be reported to appointment service centers and allocated through them. They believe this measure will optimize resource allocation and reduce patient waiting lists.
Stefanie Stoff-Ahnis, deputy head of the GKV association, has emphasized that mental illnesses have become a significant health challenge in recent decades. She stated that there are psychotherapy spots available, but finding them is difficult for severely mentally ill people. She believes that severely ill people need tailored, quick offers, and cannot search for therapy spots without direct help and supporting orientation.
Brysch, too, has emphasized the need for quick access to appointments with psychotherapists. He stated that appointments are hardly available. The German Foundation for Patient Protection is demanding faster offers for mentally ill people.
The GKV association has published a position paper on this issue and is pushing for a legal claim to suicide prevention in statutory health insurance. This legal claim, according to patient advocates, includes short-term consultation hours, treatment spots, and mobile therapy.
Despite the proposed solutions, no final nationwide system has been confirmed yet. However, the proposal reflects a consensus that lack of transparency and coordination is a significant bottleneck in the German psychotherapy sector. The mediation rate for such appointments was 46 percent in 2023, according to the GKV association's figures.
In summary, the key approach to improve wait times for psychotherapy appointments is the implementation of a mandatory reporting system of therapist availability combined with centralized appointment coordination. This measure is currently being pushed by statutory health insurers as a practical legal remedy to the ongoing access problem.
- Other potential solutions for reducing wait times for psychotherapy appointments include implementing a legal requirement for psychotherapy providers to report half of their available consultation hours to appointment service centers for more efficient allocation.
- The lack of transparency and coordination in the German psychotherapy sector is a significant issue, and mental health-and-wellness advocates are promoting therapies-and-treatments tailored for severely mentally ill individuals, emphasizing the importance of quick access and mental-health support in reducing suicide rates.
