Medicine has a long tradition in Berlin. It is worth remembering the Charité hospital and scientists such as Robert Koch, Rudolf Virchow and Ferdinand Sauerbruch. With about 6,200 doctors in private practice, 3,700 dentists, 6,500 pharmacies and 26,000 hospital beds, the health care of the people of Berlin and their guests is assured. In addition to basic medical care, there are numerous facilities for specialised treatment which are used not only by the people of Berlin. In addition there are the German Heart Centre, transplant and laser medicine, bone marrow transplants and the use of computer-assisted operating techniques in mouth, jaw and face operations.

The high costs of the health care system require structural changes over the next few years. For example, it is planned to reduce the number of hospital beds to 22,000. In spite of this reduction, the health care for patients will still be assured in conjunction with new methods of treatment which result from progress in medical science.

Moreover, a close interlinking of all medical facilities such as visiting doctors, hospitals and nursing care homes is urgently necessary to improve the quality of the medical care and at the same time ensure realistic funding.