Clinics in Saxony-Anhalt: Crisis threatens medical care!

Clinics in Saxony-Anhalt: Crisis threatens medical care!

In recent years, health care in Saxony-Anhalt has come under increasing pressure. More and more clinics, including the Helios Clinic in Zerbst, are having to close their doors or are fighting for survival. How MDR reported, the available beds in the clinics have now fallen to a level that lags behind the values ​​before the corona pandemic. The reasons for this worrying development are complex and striking.

A main reason is the low number of cases and the associated cost pressure. The rising energy costs and the acute shortage of personnel are further exacerbating the situation. Smaller clinics are increasingly focusing on outpatient care, while large hospitals are increasingly taking on complex services. The calls for reforms and support measures for the clinics are getting louder, but the pressure is not letting up. More closures may be on the way, particularly in rural areas, which could further limit medical care for people there.

Heart of public services

Medical and nursing care plays a central role in public services, and the population expects high-quality health care, regardless of where they live. The Federal Agency for Civic Education highlights that there are often fewer health care facilities in rural areas, which results in long journeys for patients. This represents an enormous burden, particularly for older people who often rely on regular medical care.

Regardless of whether they are general practitioners or outpatient care services, the medical infrastructure in rural areas is often patchy. Innovative approaches are urgently needed here. Telemedicine and mobile healthcare providers could significantly improve the situation. Linking outpatient and inpatient care is a central point in overcoming the challenges in health care.

A look into the future

In view of this problem, it is crucial that politicians react. The ministries emphasize that they do not want to initiate debates about closures, while at the same time there is 50 billion euros from the transformation fund that are to be made available for comprehensive hospital reform. But what is the “Target Image 2035” that Steffi Suchant is demanding from the Techniker Krankenkasse? One approach could be to promote digitalization in rural regions in order to improve medical care.

It is clear that collaboration between different service providers is essential to ensure high quality healthcare services. The internationally comparable surplus of clinics and beds in Saxony-Anhalt could lead to a shift in focus to the actual needs of the population. Denmark is often cited as a model where high-performance hospitals and telemedicine are integral parts of the healthcare system.

The future of healthcare in Saxony-Anhalt and rural areas as a whole depends on the implementation of these concepts. Innovative collaborations between general practitioners and specialists as well as overcoming structures that no longer meet people's needs are the path to a better time - a path that must be paved now.