Doctors.bus

Meeting the challenges of patient mobility

Mobility services for patients can also make an important contribution to improving medical care. If there is a lack of good public transport connections at a local level, patients will also lack access to the nearest GP or specialist practice, for example.

This is why the “Ärzte.Bus” has been in place since summer 2018. The project is coordinated by Gesundheitsregionplus Landkreis Wunsiedel im Fichtelgebirge. The specialist care situation in the rural district is characterized, among other things, by the fact that many of the specialists are located in Marktredwitz, the largest town in the district. The “Ärzte.Bus” was therefore initiated to improve the accessibility of the practices for patients.

A seven-seater minibus from a local bus company runs every two weeks on a defined morning. Patients can board the bus at two central bus stops in Selb and are then driven directly to Marktredwitz Bahnhofsplatz or the medical center in around 30 minutes. There are numerous specialists in the immediate vicinity. The specialist appointment and seat booking on the bus are coordinated by the respective GP practice in Selb (all GP practices take part). The participating specialists from nine different specialties in Marktredwitz, who are not represented in Selb, reserve appointment slots for the planned period.

Travel costs for doctors.bus

Patients currently pay €14 for the return journey. This roughly corresponds to the public transport fare between these cities. Before the coronavirus pandemic, the service was running at 70% capacity on average.

The “Ärzte.Bus” therefore gives citizens with limited mobility in particular the opportunity to attend their specialist appointments independently and at a significantly lower cost than by cab.