Leipzig University Hospital: Record surplus despite challenges!

Leipzig University Hospital: Record surplus despite challenges!

At the Leipzig University Hospital (UKL is possible!), the year 2024 significantly alleviated worries about financial matters with a pleasing annual profit of 8.8 million euros. According to uniklinikum-leipzig.de this was remarkable progress after almost a balanced result was achieved in the previous year. This positive development is primarily due to the excellent inpatient and outpatient performance development as well as one-off effects from budget negotiations with the health insurance companies. However, despite this pleasing balance sheet, the overall financial situation remains challenging in terms of rising operating costs and necessary investments.

The year 2024 could finally be overcome without the additional burdens of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Nevertheless, there were high levels of sickness absence in the first half, which led to reductions in performance. In the second half of the year, however, strong countermeasures were taken by hiring additional employees in the medical service as well as in the nursing and functional services, which led to a significant increase in performance. The number of patients increased in both inpatient and outpatient areas, with outpatient operations increasing by 14 percent.

Sales and costs at a glance

Sales revenue from hospital operations grew by 12.7 percent and reached an impressive 640 million euros, with total revenue amounting to 714 million euros. Personnel costs also rose significantly and exceeded the 400 million euro mark for the first time, with an increase of 24.3 million euros compared to the previous year. In addition, two collective agreements were reached for employees in the medical and non-medical services to ensure satisfaction.

All of these factors enabled UKL to overcome the challenges of the previous year. In 2023, an almost balanced result was achieved with sales of 648.6 million euros, despite a small minus of 232,101 euros, as reported by kma-online.de. Commercial Director Dr. Robert Jacob emphasizes that this result was only possible through subsidies from the federal government and the Free State of Saxony to compensate for high energy prices and operating costs.

Networking and training

The UKL has consolidated its position not only by improving its financial situation, but also by completing the first construction phase of the central emergency room. The lung transplants were established in cooperation with the Leipzig Heart Center, and digitalization is also making progress with the switch to the clinical workstation system M-KIS. But the financing situation remains a challenge, especially in areas such as IT, construction and medical technology.

There is also good news in the medical faculty: it recorded an increase in state subsidies and third-party funding in 2024. The third-party funded staff positions increased from 880 in 2023 to 912 in 2024. The top grades of human medicine and pharmacy students in nationwide examinations are particularly noteworthy. And not to forget, the establishment of a professorship for midwifery and the ceremonial opening of the Institute for Midwifery Science are additional successful initiatives that are moving the UKL further forward.

A look into the future shows that the clinical center “Leipzig Center of Metabolism” will open its doors in January 2026. But this impressive development is not without challenges, as the need to permanently correct the financial imbalance in university medicine remains. The financing of hospitals is a much-discussed topic, and according to vdek.com, the hospitals in the state hospital plan only receive treatment costs via the DRG system, which increases the financial tension.

The UKL remains a key player in regional healthcare and shows that, despite the challenges and pressing financial issues, it has a good hand when it comes to patient care and innovative developments.