Complementary System of Health Care in Cooperation with Migrant Communities - Requirements for Successful Integration in Health Care

National and ethnic diversities among and within groups of migrants present great challenges to health care, not only in Germany. Access to regular health care, in particular for relatively small migrant groups and new immigrants is sometimes difficult. In addition, specific cultural aspects and legal implications - such as the residence status - must be taken into account when setting up a complementary system of health care. Methods and arrangements should make use of already existing resources of the health care system as well as proceed to direct cooperation with migrant communities. The public health service with its wide range of technical and organisational efficiency can play a key role here, especially in the municipal sector, both for an effecitive medical care for those who have difficulties in gaining access to the system, as well as for developing municipal networks, cooperating with a maximum number of medical service providers, organisations, and regarding specific migrant lifestyles. Social and ethic aspects of medical care for people living in precarious conditions ought to be supplemented by practice models which render a flexible and economic organisation of a complementary system of health care, the only way to a sustainable medical care for small migrant groups or not optimally integrated immigrant populations.