Maxie Lutze
Demography, Clusters and Foresight
How can the quality of life of people in need of care be improved in the long term? What could make nursing professions more attractive in the long run? How can nursing professionals be relieved of some of their daily workload? Our experts on care issues are addressing these and other questions.
The limits of the care system are already becoming apparent today: the number of people in need of care in Germany has significantly exceeded earlier forecasts, and demand for medical and nursing services has been rising for years. At the same time, the shortage of qualified personnel is becoming more acute. This gap in care cannot be closed by expanding professional care services alone.
Tailored care structures and services
Care structures and services must be geared to people's actual needs. They should meet high quality standards and be economically viable at the same time. Continuous and targeted development is essential to meet these requirements in the future. Structural measures are also necessary to make the nursing profession more attractive. These include the academization of nursing, new career development prospects, and reliable target values for staffing levels. These strategies should help to counteract the shortage of skilled workers in the long term. However, compared to other countries, both the implementation and systematic scientific investigation of these strategies are still in their infancy in Germany. This makes it all the more important to develop viable concepts now—for care that remains reliable and quality-assured in the future.
More than ever, care is provided where people live: in their home environment—supported by relatives. In order to make this form of care sustainable, viable concepts that are suitable for everyday use are needed to provide targeted relief for family caregivers and strengthen the independence of those in need of care. In doing so, greater consideration must be given to regional characteristics – both to ensure local care provision and to make the nursing profession more attractive.
The future of nursing: digital, networked, and people-centered
Whether long-term care, acute care, or intensive care – the goal is care that is patient-centered, networked, and efficient. The digital transformation can make an important contribution to the further development of nursing care services. Technologies such as digital care documentation and telemedicine are already in use and will continue to evolve. The legal connection of nursing care to the telematics infrastructure (TI) creates the basis for secure digital exchange – for example, via electronic patient records.
Technologies such as assistance systems based on artificial intelligence (AI) or sensory support services, but also robotics and aids such as exoskeletons promise additional relief and better coordination of care. Start-ups are also bringing fresh impetus to nursing practice with innovative solutions. Practical concepts, clear framework conditions, and reliable financing and evaluation are crucial to their success. The effectiveness of digital applications is increasingly being investigated in scientific studies—under real-life conditions and in various care settings. These studies show that technology alone is not enough. Successful digitalization must involve nursing professionals and enable real improvements in everyday life.
Advising, Analysing, Organising, Promoting
Shaping these innovations and supporting their implementation in practice is at the heart of our work. We combine aspects of education, research, and innovation to address the complexity of demographic change. In particular, analyzing the technical potential and evaluating the impact on work and care processes are a key focus of our work.
