Rollende arztpraxis - first results of an ambulant mobile care model for rural areas

German medical care is going to suffer from a decreasing number of general practitioners due to demographic change. We study if ambulatory care in rural areas can be complementary ensured by a mobile care unit. A medical care van - the "rolling medical practice" (RMP) - has been constructed based on care scenarios created for rural communities in northern Germany. Performance and acceptance of the RMP is evaluated by constant monitoring of anonymized medical documentation and questionnaires. The RMP is visiting six villages on two days a week in a three-week interval. It is constructed from a standard van with a custom box body fully equipped for general care needs. Actually treated care cases meet expectations and are acute as well as chronicle symptoms. Case numbers range from 6 to 50 visits in 5 month. We showed that almost full ranged mobile medical care, as supplement to general medical supply is possible.