120 years of Parchim hospital: a festival for the whole region!

120 years of Parchim hospital: a festival for the whole region!

On July 11, 2025, the Parchim hospital celebrated a very special anniversary: ​​120 years of service to the people of the region. The ceremony took place as part of an open day, to which not only the residents, but also current and former employees were invited. Mayor Dirk Flörke took an impressive balance in his speech and paid tribute to the immense importance of the hospital for local health care. "The Parchim hospital is an integral part of our life and an example of lived charity," says Flörke.

The foundation of the hospital goes back to a tragic story. Anna Heuck, who died of tuberculosis in 1895, asked her father to provide the Villa on Wickersee as a hospital. Their heir of 10,000 Reichsmarks has been used for the renovation, and since then the old villa has been the heart of the clinic, which still does active service 120 years later. Since 1996, the facility has been part of Asklepios, an important operator of hospitals in Germany who renovated and modernized the house after the political turn. This shows how important continuous adaptation to the current needs is.

meaning for the region

District Administrator Stefan Sternberg emphasized the crucial role of the hospital, especially in rural areas, where access to medical care is often limited. "Emergency care must be secured," said Sternberg. In rural regions such as Parchim, the paths to the doctor are long, and the supply situation is often not comparable to urban standard. Small population density and a higher burden of illness, especially due to the aging of the population, shape the challenges on site. Here the Parchim hospital is of essential importance as a trusting point of contact.

dr. Dierk Werner, the medical director of the clinic, also underlined the urgency to train medical young people in the region to secure tomorrow's specialists. With an average age of 35 to 40 years with specialist graduates, the potential for future doctors is great-however, it is important to bind these talents to the region in the long term.

national challenges

The discussion about rural areas is not limited to Parchim. As shown on the website of the Federal Center for Political Education, medical and nursing care in rural areas is an essential component of general interest. In many rural areas there are only a few health care facilities, which makes it difficult to reach for important specialists and specialized services. Patients often have to cover long distances to receive the necessary medical help. Innovative care concepts are required to close the existing gaps and to improve the quality of life of the residents.

The efforts to improve health care in the country must also take into account the cooperation between outpatient and inpatient care. Telemedical offers are a promising approach, electronic patient care becomes the norm, and mobile service providers could drive directly to the patients. The path towards integrated medical care is more important than ever.

The open day in the Parchim hospital was not only a celebration, but also an indication of the challenges and perspectives that are still ahead of us. With a good hand and innovative ideas, the hospital will surely be there for the next 120 years for the people of the region.