Employment opportunities in the healthcare industry: Potential for two million new jobs in Germany by 2030

• Report prepared for the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology by Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, the Center for Innovative Health Technologies (ZiG), Technische Universität Berlin and BASYS GmbH in Augsburg
• Between now and 2030, the healthcare industry's share of GDP will increase from about 10% to almost 13%. In the same period, the number of people employed in the sector will rise from five to seven million
• Significant growth rates in the areas of health tourism, fitness/wellness and organic products

The healthcare industry makes a much larger contribution to economic growth and employment than previously assumed. A report for the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology concluded that between now and 2030, given the right economic conditions, the healthcare industry could increase its share of GDP from around 10% to almost 13% – and the number of employees from around five to seven million. The most important growth drivers, besides the aging population, are greater health consciousness and exports. The largest growth rates within the industry are in the areas of health tourism, fitness/wellness and organic products.

"We must leverage the growth and employment potential of the healthcare industry and support this development with relevant policy," says Parliamentary State Secretary Ernst Burgbacher. The report for the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology was prepared by a bidding consortium comprising Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, the Center for Innovative Health Technologies (ZiG), Technische Universität Berlin and BASYS GmbH in Augsburg.

Satellite account enables precise measurement of the healthcare industry

According to Dr. Joachim Kartte, Head of the Pharma & Healthcare Competence Center at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, there has been a rethink in the industry. "People no longer speak about healthcare as a cost driver, but as a growth driver." In order to capture and calculate this driver in more detail, the experts developed a "satellite account" for the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology. "This is an auxiliary calculation to the national accounts," says Roland Berger Principal Dr. Karsten Neumann. The national accounts use an internationally standardized classification system for industrial sectors. Until now, some sectors have been artificially separated for accounting purposes. "For example, in the health sector, hospitals, pharmaceuticals, medical technology and health foods are allocated to completely different areas of the national accounts," says Neumann. This made statements regarding the exact size of the healthcare industry impossible. The satellite account has helped to overcome the problem by summarizing all the relevant macroeconomic information for products and services connected with healthcare.

From cost factor to job creator

"Thanks to this new perspective on the German healthcare sector, people have suddenly realized that health is a gigantic growth market, offering a lot of potential for new jobs, career opportunities and revenues," according to Kartte. Healthcare's percentage of gross value added will steadily increase over the next few years, from 10% in 2005 (EUR 207 billion) to 12.2% (EUR 286 billion) in 2020. Kartte forecasts that by 2030, one in every five workers will be employed in the healthcare industry. In 2005, the figure was about one in seven. "The health satellite account provides policymakers with a firm basis for supporting the German healthcare sector and making it one of the leading growth markets of the next decade," he concludes.