Hospital closure in Wittstock: A shock for the region!

Hospital closure in Wittstock: A shock for the region!

An alarming message meets the Ostprignitz-Ruppin region: The hospital in Wittstock, operated by the KMG clinics, will be closed at the end of 2026. This decision was pronounced after a works meeting and is due to the new requirements of the upcoming hospital reform of the federal government. The reform, which comes into force in 2027, does not meet the required requirements for the Wittstock location, which will lead to a painful cut for the population and the 200 employees at this location, such as Maz-online.de reported.

Currently, the Wittstock hospital only offers services in the field of internal medicine. In the future, the offers of cardiology and gastroenterology will be relocated to Pritzwalk, where the construction of cardiac catheter laboratories and an expansion of the intensive care unit are also planned. At the same time, Pritzwalk's geriatrics is relocated to Kyritz to bundle the care of older patients. Fortunately, most employees from Wittstock can continue to be employed in the new locations in Pritzwalk and Kyritz.

reactions of local politics and the population

The closure of the hospital is incomprehensible and regret in the city of Wittstock. Mayor Philipp Wacker (CDU) expresses his concern about the loss of heart supply and emergency outpatient clinic. He demands clear statements from the state government to the future medical care of the population. Minister of Health Britta Müller (non -party), on the other hand, emphasized that the security of care has a top priority and that alternative care concepts are considered.

There are suggestions in the room to reorganize outpatient care in Wittstock and create mobile supply units. Left-wing chief Sebastian Walter warns of possible longer travel times at the new locations and the risk that help could no longer come in time in an emergency. He suggests taking over the hospital location from the country to secure medical care on site.

The hospital reform and its consequences

The challenges of the upcoming hospital reform should not be underestimated. An investigation by vebeto GmbH shows that this reform is considered threatening for the nationwide health care in Germany. In rural regions in particular, which often suffer from a lack of medical facilities, departments and locations could be closed, as dkgev.de The pressure on smaller clinics could increase through the reform, the defined minimum content numbers and the preservation financing are two aspects that are considered problematic.

Skepticism among the population is great: According to a survey, the majority of German bottlenecks fear health care. The concerns are particularly pronounced in East German Area countries, and only a fraction of the respondents believe that regional hospitals could be closed without supply bottlenecks. Over 80 percent of the basic care hospitals believe that they have to reduce treatment offers.

The political actors are required to find solutions together in this situation to ensure health care for people. The discussions about restructuring outpatient care in Wittstock are already underway. Minister of Health Müller, together with the coalition's specialist politicians, is committed to maintaining the hospital locations as regionally important institutions.