New Publication

Modernising Public Service Provision: The Case of the Public Health Service Abstract
The Public Health Service (Öffentlicher Gesundheitsdienst – ÖGD) has traditionally played a minor role in health care provision in Germany. It is often only loosely integrated within the cooperation structures between social administration and service providers. Nevertheless, due to its legal mandate and broad range of responsibilities, it would be well suited to organise and shape health care provision at the municipal level, thereby ensuring equal living conditions nationwide. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the ÖGD’s crucial role became evident – not only in pandemic response but also as a key institution in public service provision. This raises the question of whether the reforms initiated since then have laid the foundation for the institutional modernisation of the ÖGD as a starting point for reorienting public health service provision. To explore this, we conducted a secondary analysis and expert interviews, which were evaluated using a specially developed analytical framework.