Between progress, fairness and affordability: approaches for an efficient healthcare system
The German healthcare system is facing considerable challenges: Demographic change, a shortage of skilled labour and medical-technical innovations are causing healthcare expenditure to rise and exacerbating the question of how high-quality care can be secured in the long term while at the same time being financed on a solidarity basis. The Leopoldina working group is discussing how medical progress, fairness of care and financial sustainability can be reconciled in the future.
Last edited: 05. May 2026
The focus is on analysing strategies with which limited human and financial resources in the healthcare system can be used efficiently and fairly. This includes, among other things, the avoidance of misuse and overuse, a stronger focus on prevention as well as questions of resource distribution and possible prioritisation in medical care.
The working group brings together expertise from medicine, health economics, social sciences, ethics, law and other disciplines. The aim is to systematically process scientific findings and normative arguments and thus contribute to an objective social and political discussion on the future organisation of the healthcare system.
The working group works closely with the Leopoldina's Scientific Commission "Health System in Transition".
Spokespersons of the working group
Further members of the working group
- Prof Dr Claudia Bausewein ML, Clinic and Polyclinic for Palliative Medicine, LMU Klinikum München, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
- Prof Dr Jutta Gärtner ML, Clinic for Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Medical Centre Göttingen
- Prof Dr Michael Ghadimi ML, Department of General, Visceral and Paediatric Surgery, University Medical Centre Göttingen
- Prof Dr Wolfgang Greiner, Chair of Health Economics and Health Management, University of Bielefeld
- Prof. Dr Michael Hallek ML, Centre for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf, University of Cologne
- Prof Dr Stefan Huster ML, Institute for Social and Health Law, Ruhr University Bochum
- Prof Dr Thorsten Kingreen, Lehrstuhls für Öffentliches Recht, Sozialrecht und Gesundheitsrecht, Universität Regensburg
- Prof Dr Thomas Krieg ML, Clinic and Polyclinic for Dermatology and Venereology, University of Cologne
- Prof Dr Heyo Kroemer ML, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
- Prof Dr Georg Marckmann ML, Institute for Ethics, History and Theory of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich
- Prof. Dr Jutta Mata, Mannheim Centre for European Social Research, University of Mannheim
- Prof Dr Karin Michels ML, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Epidemiologie
- Prof Dr Ursula Müller-Werdan, Clinic for Geriatrics and Geriatric Medicine and EGZB, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
- Prof Dr Iris Pigeot, Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology
- Prof Dr Bettina Rockenbach ML, President of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
- Prof Dr Dirk Sauerland, Faculty of Business and Society, Witten/Herdecke University
- Prof Dr Christian Schaaf, Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University Hospital
- Prof Dr Norbert Schmacke, Institute for Public Health and Nursing Research, University of Bremen
- Prof Dr Britta Siegmund ML, Medical Clinic for Gastroenterology, Infectiology and Rheumatology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
- Prof Dr Leonie Sundmacher, School of Medicine & Health, Technical University of Munich
- Prof Dr Norbert Suttorp ML, Charité Medical Clinic, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
- Prof Dr Urban Wiesing ML, Institute for Ethics and History of Medicine, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
- Prof Dr Claudia Wiesemann ML, Institute for Ethics and History of Medicine, University Medical Center Göttingen
ML = Member of the Leopoldina
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Kontakt Dr. Stefanie Bohley
Scientific Officer, Department Science - Policy - Society
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Kontakt Dr Johannes Schmoldt
Senior Officer, Department International Relations