Neuruppin gets a new chief physician: More help for vascular diseases!

Neuruppin gets a new chief physician: More help for vascular diseases!

Christian Frahm has taken over the position of chief physician in the Clinic for Radiology and Nuclear Medicine at Neuruppin University Hospital since October 2023. This clinic emerged from the Center for Imaging Diagnostics and quickly made a name for itself. The focus here is particularly on diseases that have to do with narrowed or even blocked blood vessels. The arteries in the legs, pelvis or neck are particularly affected. The main cause of such vascular diseases is arteriosclerosis, which is promoted by high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes and excess weight, as ndrs.de explains.

Every year in Germany we count around 270,000 strokes, affecting around 9,000 people in Brandenburg. These alarming figures make it clear that the clinic's work is extremely relevant. Christian Frahm and his team, consisting of over 30 employees, are responsible for finding the best treatment for patients. To do this, they work closely with various specialists, including vascular surgeons and neurosurgeons. Frahm's plan is ambitious: He wants to increase the number of patients treated annually from currently over 300 and enable shorter waiting times.

Atherosclerosis in focus

Atherosclerosis is not only one of the most common causes of cardiovascular diseases, but also an insidious disease: the deposits in the arteries often remain undetected for a long time and only lead to serious problems with secondary diseases such as heart attack or stroke. Risk factors such as unhealthy lifestyle, high blood pressure and diabetes advance the disease. According to [ndrs.de].

The clinic also uses modern methods from nuclear medicine to detect tumors, infections and circulatory disorders. Although these procedures involve weak, slightly radioactive radiation, patients can usually go home immediately after the examinations. Frahm, who previously worked as chief physician in a Catholic hospital in Potsdam and completed his medical training in Rostock and his specialist training in Lübeck, Bern and Kiel, brings a lot of experience with him.

The challenges of the shortage of skilled workers

One of Frahm's central concerns for the clinic is the recruitment of specialist staff. The need for qualified employees is high as some positions are still unfilled and the team is already extremely committed. This is the only way to actually achieve the goal of increasing the number of treatments and reducing waiting times. Given the demographics and shortage of healthcare professionals, this is a challenge that affects many clinics.

The clinic in Neuruppin is aware that a lot of lives can be saved through the timely diagnosis and treatment of arteriosclerosis and related diseases. With Christian Frahm at the helm, the team is ready to pursue this goal and at the same time significantly improve the health service in the Ostprignitz-Ruppin region.