Struggling Healthcare Facilities in Vorpommern-Rügen Demand Assistance
Stefan Kerth, the head honcho in Vorpommern-Rügen, is sounding the alarm for its hospitals. "We've got zero planning security for our hospital landscape," Kerth warned the German Press Agency. The region's healthcare facilities are drowning in financial woes, and Kerth thinks the German government needs to step in. "We can't save the healthcare system through local districts," Kerth stated. "The feds and states need to get their act together so no hospitals bite the dust."
On Monday, the district council will weigh in on a potential 4.5 million euro guarantee for the Bodden Clinic in Ribnitz-Damgarten. The clinic, managed by the town, is struggling with deteriorating financing conditions. This downfall isn't an isolated case in Vorpommern-Rügen – or Germany.
Kerth believes that the silent closure of hospitals is creeping up on Germany and Vorpommern-Rügen doesn't want to "lose any more pieces from its hospital network." Tourists frequenting the area emphasize the importance of maintaining a robust health system.
Since last Friday, the Schwerin State Parliament has urged the federal government to pump extra funds into hospitals on a temporary basis, waiting for the long-awaited hospital reform. State Health Minister Stefanie Drese (SPD) aims to preserve all 37 hospitals in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The region already shed 18 facilities in the past, reducing beds from 19,000 to 10,000.
Insight
The healthcare challenges in Vorpommern-Rügen and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern can be linked to the broader issue affecting German hospitals. Financial instability, exacerbated by increased personnel and energy costs, insufficient refinancing, and lower treatment figures, can be seen in 80% of hospitals operating at a loss in Brandenburg.
High costs of innovative treatments like CAR T-cell therapy, as well as the shortage of healthcare professionals, also contribute to these financial challenges. Measures like the €50 billion transformation fund, hospital reform, and regulatory changes are underway to improve the overall efficiency of German hospitals.
Remaining Concerns
Aside from the challenges faced by Vorpommern-Rügen and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, other cities in the region, such as Stralsund, are grappling with their own healthcare facilities' financial problems. These issues highlight the need for proactive and long-term solutions to stabilize Germany’s healthcare system.
