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Family doctor's practice in Schönaich closed: patients in great need!
Böblingen: Schönaich loses family practice, hundreds of patients are affected. Medical care and staff shortages are the focus.
Family doctor's practice in Schönaich closed: patients in great need!
In Schönaich, the closure of Susanne Parade's family doctor's practice is causing excitement and unrest among patients. Since November 2025, hundreds of citizens have been without medical care, which represents a major challenge. While there is already a clear shortage of doctors in the area, the problem is now intensifying. The other family doctors in the community, including Angela Ober-Ott and Silke Lowatscheff, are already at their limit and have had to deal with a rush of inquiries in the last few weeks. Her practice recently imposed a freeze on admissions to cope with the many new cases. But the admission freeze has now been lifted because the urgency for many patients, especially older people, can no longer be ignored.
The challenges are enormous: Angela Ober-Ott and her colleague Lowatscheff worked around 50 hours of overtime in just one month to process the requests. This is very reminiscent of the long queues seen during the pandemic. The number of patients in Schönaich has fallen sharply in recent years; While there used to be seven or eight doctors, the situation is now tense. The closure of Parade’s practice comes as a surprise to many and highlights that GP supply has become a critical issue in the region.
A rethink is necessary
In order to adequately care for the stranded patients, a restructuring within Ober-Ott and Lowatscheff's practice is essential. “We simply need more staff,” emphasizes the doctor. However, finding new family doctors or medical assistants is extremely difficult. Experts recommend that preventive health examinations, which are used to detect diseases early, should continue to take place regularly. These typically include blood tests and physical exams, which are recommended annually. In the case of special risk factors or pre-existing illnesses, a more frequent rhythm may be necessary to ensure long-term health.
The Schönaich administration is willing to provide support in finding a family doctor, but it is not their primary task. They have already brought incentives such as kindergarten places and building plots into play to defuse the situation. But even that doesn't seem to be enough to quickly close the gaps in patient care. Taking over Susanne Parade's old practice rooms is considered unrealistic because the infrastructure and patients have ultimately already been distributed.
The urgency of medical care has now become an everyday topic for the people of Schönaich. Many illnesses require a visit to the doctor as soon as possible, whether for acute symptoms or for long-term care. General practitioners are often the first point of contact for psychological problems and can not only prescribe medication, but also offer advice and make referrals to specialists. The situation in Schönaich therefore requires quick action to ensure that every citizen receives appropriate health care. Concerns about one's own health are not only spreading in people's minds, but also show how important it is to strengthen the medical infrastructure and find new solutions.
In order to prevent such a shortage in the future, joint efforts are required from municipalities, doctors and, last but not least, citizens. A good hand at initiating ideas and collaborating could perhaps soon turn things around. Schönaich, as a place worth living in, should definitely remain well looked after.