With a ceremony attended by Manne Lucha, Minister for Social Affairs, Health and Integration of the state of Baden-Württemberg, the Bosch Health Campus opened the PORT Health Center in Stuttgart on July 9, 2025. The center sets new standards in healthcare by combining preventative and advisory services with outpatient and inpatient care. In view of the growing shortage of doctors, which is now also being felt in cities, the PORT Health Center offers a pioneering approach to closing gaps in care and making primary care fit for the future.

Multi-professional teams for needs-based care

A general practitioner, two academically qualified nursing experts (community health nurses), medical assistants and therapists work together in a multi-professional team on 350 square meters of modern, well-equipped premises. The service is tailored to regional needs in urban areas and is aimed in particular at older people with chronic and multiple illnesses.

“We are convinced that many people would need to go to the doctor or hospital less often if they received continuous expert care and were better informed about their illnesses. At the PORT Center, we offer low-threshold advice – including home visits if required – and strengthen health literacy through prevention and health courses,” explained Prof. Dr. Mark Dominik Alscher, Managing Director of the Bosch Health Campus, at the opening. In the long term, more digital services are planned to further improve care.

Close integration of outpatient and inpatient care

A key feature of the PORT Health Center is its location in the Robert Bosch Hospital, City site. The close proximity enables a close integration of outpatient and inpatient care, which is seen as key to relieving the burden on the healthcare system, particularly in the context of the hospital reform. “We work closely with the Geriatric Department, Mobile Geriatric Rehabilitation and the Dementia Delirium Consultation Service,” explained Mike Teske, Head of the PORT Center. “This means that transitions from hospital to home care can be better supported – for example through coordinated care plans and the early involvement of community health nurses. Patients receive more security and continuity, while inpatient staff benefit from clear contact persons.”

The Robert Bosch Center for Innovation in Healthcare, which is part of the Bosch Health Campus, provided the start-up funding for the center with funds from the Robert Bosch Stiftung. This foundation continues to support community health nursing and multi-professional, intersectoral cooperation in particular.

Minister Lucha praises innovative approach

“The PORT Health Center at the Bosch Health Campus in Stuttgart is a milestone for innovative, patient-oriented care in Baden-Württemberg. Especially in times of a shortage of specialists, we need low-threshold, needs-based access to the healthcare system as part of primary care tailored to regional requirements – ideally in primary care centers, such as those funded by the state, or in PORT Health Centers. What impresses me about these centers is how community health nurses and other specialists work hand in hand to support patients individually and strengthen their health literacy. This is what the future of primary care looks like: close to home, multi-professional and empathetic. I wish the PORT Health Centre every success and thank all employees for their exemplary commitment,” emphasized Minister Lucha at the opening.

During the tour, the minister learned about the role of community health nurses, who are already making an important contribution to care and advice. In order for them to be able to take on further tasks in the future, as is common practice in countries such as Finland, legal adjustments are still required in Germany. “Baden-Württemberg has therefore been advocating the introduction of the new Community Health Nurse job profile at federal level for some time,” explained Lucha. “There still needs to be a rethink here – away from a doctor-centric approach and towards an upgrading of non-medical professionals,” added Alscher. The planned Nursing Competence Act could set the initial course here.

Access for all and background to the PORT concept

The PORT health center is now open to everyone and also offers appointments at short notice. The idea of patient-oriented centers for primary and long-term care (PORT) comes from the Robert Bosch Stiftung, which launched a funding program of the same name in 2017. Since then, twelve healthcare facilities across Germany have been supported, in which multi-professional teams from healthcare, social and other professions provide comprehensive primary care from a single source. Further information is available at www.port-gesundheitszentrum.de.

Further information:

Homepage | Bosch Health Campus

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