Prof. Dr. Birgit Prodinger appointed to new professorship for medical care for people with disabilities in Augsburg
31.08.2023 12:40
Science Minister Markus Blume and Health Minister Holetschek are called Prof. Dr. Birgit Prodinger welcomes you to the University and University Hospital of Augsburg – the best possible medical care, tailored to individual needs.
Groundbreaking institution for inclusive medicine and significant innovation in the medical landscape: Bavaria is setting standards with the establishment of the professorship for medical care for people with disabilities and participation restrictions and enabling targeted research at the highest level in the field of barrier-free medicine. Science Minister Markus Blume and Health Minister Klaus Holetschek have appointed Professor Prof. Dr. Birgit Prodinger welcomed in Augsburg today.
Science Minister Markus Blume emphasized: “Bavaria is on the way to becoming a barrier-free state – also in medicine. Our goal: The best possible medical care for all people, tailored to their individual needs. With the new professorship, we are keeping a promise - and we are making a promise: We want to raise the care of people with disabilities and participation restrictions to the highest possible level! Special thanks go to the Augsburg University Medicine. She has developed a truly groundbreaking concept and is our beacon for further advancing the right to participation in cutting-edge medicine. And of course a warm welcome to Prof. Dr. Birgit Prodinger. She is well connected nationally and internationally, has practical and academic experience and is exactly the right woman for this job.”
Bavaria's Health Minister Klaus Holetschek said: “The new professorship is an important signal for Swabia and Bavaria. We are setting an important course for the future, because people with disabilities and participation restrictions also have a right to first-class and smooth medical care. I am very excited to see what results health care research will come to. My ministry will closely monitor the work on the new chair and examine what practical improvements can be implemented as a result. I am pleased that we were able to recruit Professor Prodinger, a very experienced scientist, for the new chair and I wish her every success in her new task.”
University President Prof. Dr. Sabine Doering-Manteuffel added: “We are pleased to be able to fill this important topic with a research professorship and to have gained Ms. Prodinger for this role. This contributes to the further development of our medical faculty and fits in very well with the focus on Environmental Health Sciences (EHS). This is broadly about the special living conditions and realities of different groups of people.”
The Medical Director of the University Hospital Prof. Dr. Klaus Markstaller explained: “The Augsburg University Hospital is pleased to welcome, together with the Medical Faculty of the University of Augsburg, Professor Dr. To welcome Birgit Prodinger. Health care research for people with disabilities and participation restrictions urgently needs a university environment that can be offered in an outstanding manner at the local university hospital.”
Dean of Medicine Prof. Dr. Martina Kadmon paid tribute to the newly appointed colleague: “Care at all levels must better address the special needs of people with disabilities or participation restrictions. We are facing this challenge by establishing the professorship for medical care for people with disabilities and participation restrictions. I am glad that in Prof. Prodinger we have gained a committed colleague who has many years of very broad, international experience in this area.”
With the professorship, the Bavarian state government is keeping a promise. The original concept of an interdisciplinary medical center for people with disabilities was further developed by the university in a targeted manner. An independent department at the Institute for General Medicine at the University of Augsburg is now planned. The focus of the professorship is the development of an entire research area “Population Health” in order to better understand the specific needs in the treatment of people with disabilities and participation restrictions by strengthening health care research in this area and to derive measures for care from this. With the connection of the professorship to the Institute of General Medicine, the development opportunities for research are particularly strengthened. The research results should then be incorporated into daily care in the clinical and, above all, outpatient sector as quickly as possible. Synergies with general medicine can also be used in student teaching. This will make young doctors more aware of the care of people with disabilities and participation restrictions.