[Demographic change : challenges to ophthalmological patient-centered care].

BACKGROUND

Demographic change not only affects patients with ophthalmological diseases but also ophthalmologists.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this article is to evaluate the consequences of an aging society on health care provision. How can these challenges be overcome?

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Evaluation of publications from the German Federal Statistical Office about the current and projected population, analysis of own studies about health care provision, utilization, and delivery as well as the presentation and discussion of regulatory and organizational conditions.

RESULTS

There is a continuous increase in chronic and age-related diseases. At the same time the prevalence of multimorbidity and the number of patients dependent on long-term care is rising, leading to an increase in the demand for ophthalmological care. Regarding health care providers we observed a cutback in qualified ophthalmological personnel, especially for remote areas thus causing difficulties in providing adequate eye care to the population.

CONCLUSION

To deliver health care to a growing number of patients with a decreasing number of medical professionals is the major challenge of demographic change. This will have an enormous impact on ophthalmological health care in terms of maintaining high quality health services covering a nationwide area.