Why are we running this project?

Our health care system is evolving more than ever. If the system hopes to be fit for the future, its organization will have to reconcile persistent cost pressures with various major trends:

The number of trained caregivers in Germany is decreasing, especially in regions with weak infrastructure. The number of the elderly is increasing. Chronic conditions are becoming more prevalent. Also, our knowledge has increased as well as our expectations of the health care system providing high-quality care. Prevention and health promotion have a visible impact on ones health. New trends in technology (e-health) are also available.

Patients are increasingly showing initiative and are rather a partner of the  health care professionals. Therapies and other supporting treatments and services are becoming more complex – outside of hospitals too – and are offered by different professional groups in the health care sector. Long-term approaches and cooperation among the professional groups is becoming increasingly necessary in order to find and implement feasible solutions for and with patients, even for prolonged conditions. The reform pressure increases.

What are our goals?

As often a lack of financial and human resources drive solutions in health care, our funding provides opportunities to nevertheless ensure quality standards and their further development.

With the PORT – Patient-Oriented Centers for Primary and Long-Term Care program, the Robert Bosch Stiftung supports the (continued) development and setting up of local, comprehensive, and outstanding health centers in Germany; these centers should be able to meet the primary and long-term care needs of entire regions.

The future PORT health centers

  • are tailored to regional needs
  • provide coordinated, patient-centered care on an ongoing basis
  • help patients cope with their conditions
  • employ an multiprofessional team from the health and social care sectors and other professions, cooperating as equals
  • use new potential such as e-health
  • integrate prevention and health promotion activities
  • are well integrated within their communities
     

How does the project work?

Starting in 2017 and within the PORT program, the Robert Bosch Stiftung will support five initiatives across Germany which will establish local community health care centers in the years to come. The centers are intended to ensure not only comprehensive primary care for the population of a given region, but also improved care for people with chronic conditions – all from one hand.

After a one-year concept development phase, five initiatives got the nod to receive the support needed for their implementation. The Robert Bosch Stiftung is making two million euros available for these initiatives. The Foundation is also fostering them with a wide range of supporting activities.

Der PORT-Beirat