Aachen’s Health Kiosk Logs 2,483 Consultations, Proving Decentralised Prevention Works
Published on 07/26/2026 at 06:22 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
A health kiosk in the Aachen city region has recorded 2,483 first-time and follow-up consultations for 2025, a tally its operators say confirms the value of bringing medical advice directly into communities rather than centralising it in hospitals or clinics.
The facility, which opened on 1 April 2022 as the first of its kind in North Rhine-Westphalia, operates under the banner of SPRUNGbrett gGmbH, a non-profit organisation. Despite a shift in federal legislation that since February 2025 has removed the explicit legal basis for such kiosks nationwide, the Aachen site continues to run — funded jointly by the AOK Rheinland/Hamburg health insurance fund and the StädteRegion Aachen authority.
“The trust our users place in us is growing steadily,” said Andrea Klebingat, the kiosk’s director. She noted that many visitors arrive with significant support needs, and that the multilingual, low-threshold approach is what keeps them coming back.
The team covers eight languages: German, English, Turkish, Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, Arabic and Kurdish. Elif Tunay-Cot, managing director of SPRUNGbrett, pointed to this linguistic breadth as a decisive factor in the model’s success. “It removes barriers that would otherwise keep people from seeking help,” she said.
Geographically, the service is anything but static. The main hub sits in the Aachen Arkaden shopping centre, but satellite offices have been set up in nine other municipalities across the region. A mobile health bus also roams more remote areas, targeting residents with limited mobility.
Demographic data show that adults aged 35 to 64, along with seniors, make up the bulk of users. Ukrainian nationals form the largest single nationality group.
The kiosk’s work focuses on general prevention and health education, help with applications for social and health benefits, referrals to local doctors and specialist services, and advice on nutrition, exercise and mental well-being. Two partnership programmes add depth: “Mach dich fit” (Get Fit) run with AOK Rheinland/Hamburg, and a women’s exercise initiative developed together with the Yunus Emre Mosque.
The financing arrangement — a three-way tie between SPRUNGbrett, the regional authority and the health insurer — has become especially important since the federal legal framework fell away. The partners have pledged to keep the service running, citing the documented demand for local, barrier-free health support that goes beyond standard medical treatment.
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