Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD, center) and Mathias Hänel (right), chief physician at the Clinic for Internal Medicine III, talk to a patient at the Chemnitz Clinic. /image alliance, Hendrik Schmidt
Chemnitz – Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) sees the Chemnitz region as well-positioned for the upcoming hospital reform. “What is being done here is exemplary for the whole of Germany,” he emphasized during a visit to the Chemnitz Clinic in view of the model project for the Southwest Saxony healthcare region.
19 hospitals in the region are taking part in this process in order to establish tighter networks and work more closely together. At the same time, Lauterbach promised to take into account the special needs of the eastern federal states in the hospital reform.
Her Saxon counterpart, Petra Köpping (SPD), has again pushed for this. In Saxony, the number of hospitals has already fallen from over 130 to 76. This must be preserved, Köpping emphasized. However, many clinics are facing high deficits.
Lauterbach also spoke of chronic deficits that the reform is intended to remedy. According to him, the wage increases in clinics this year will already be compensated retroactively. The whole thing will also lead to higher health insurance contributions, he explained, without giving an exact figure.
Schaper: Clinical deficits are a political failure
Left-wing state leader Susanne Schaper spoke of the political failure in view of the red numbers of many hospitals. Staff and patients have to pay for this. “That is an accusation!”
New collaborations, such as with the South-West Saxony health region, are an important step. However, it must be ensured that all locations are maintained – at least as a medical health centre based on the model of the previous polyclinics, Schaper explained.
Lauterbach’s visit to Chemnitz was met with harsh criticism, including from Saxon pharmacists. The chairman of the Saxon Pharmacists’ Association, Thomas Dittrich, criticized the drug supply close to home as being dramatically underfunded.
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Pharmacies would face a huge increase in expenses – with stagnant rates. Many pharmacies are in financial difficulties. In the first half of the year, 17 more pharmacies closed in Saxony. The number is now well below 900.
Lauterbach wanted to open a new building worth around 100 million euros at the Chemnitz Clinic this evening. Not only has a new operational area been created, but several clinical areas will also be concentrated at the Flemmingstrasse location.
The Chemnitz Clinic is one of the three top-level care providers in Saxony and one of the largest municipal hospitals in the country. With more than 1,700 beds and around 7,100 employees, around 67,300 patients were treated there in full and part-time inpatient settings in 2023, and a further 75,000 as outpatients. Annual sales amounted to around 600 million euros. © dpa/aerzteblatt.de