Hesse: 75% for municipalities – revolution in healthcare!

Hesse: 75% for municipalities – revolution in healthcare!

There are far-reaching changes coming in Hesse that will impact healthcare. Economics Minister Kaweh Mansoori (SPD) has now announced that around 75% of the financial resources from the infrastructure package should be passed on to the municipalities. The minister is based on the findings of the Hessian Association of Cities and Municipalities, which emphasizes that 77% of future investments in cities and municipalities are necessary to modernize and improve the infrastructure. In the past, far too little has been invested in the areas of health care, daycare centers, schools and swimming pools, says Mansoori.

However, there are also critical voices about these plans. The Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KV Hessen) expresses concerns and speaks of “monetary gifts based on the watering can principle”. Its board member Frank Dastych not only calls for a clear strategy, but also suggests setting up an investment fund for outpatient care. This fund could ensure that there are incentives for specialists to locate in underserved areas and improve the quality of patient care. He also advocates for financial resources to restructure the hospital landscape and a modern emergency service that improves communication between the 26 control centers.

Hospital reform in Hesse

In parallel to these developments, Health Minister Diana Stolz announced the implementation of the federal government's planned hospital reform. This reform aims to secure long-term health care and requires close cooperation with partners such as the Hessian Hospital Association and the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians. However, Stolz expresses technical concerns about certain aspects of the reform and calls for improvements, particularly with regard to financing. Also Prof. Dr. Christian Höftberger, President of the Hessian Hospital Society, criticizes the existing bureaucracy and calls for a revision of the financing structures for sustainable healthcare.

The goals of the hospital reform are clear: There should be a concentration and bundling of services in order to meet the challenges of demographic change and digitalization. As part of a transformation process, those responsible are planning to create a new hospital plan for Hesse, supported by six care conferences that are to take place next year. An overarching goal is to ensure high quality in planned interventions and quick accessibility in an emergency.

Regional healthcare

In order to improve health care regionally, Hesse plans to reorganize it into six care areas. Each area is managed by a coordinating hospital, which is intended to ensure care tailored to needs. Health coordinators and medical care clinics should also ensure that rural regions also receive optimal care. The focus is on developing sustainable solutions that take demographic change and developments in the outpatient sector into account.

Higher investment funds and a loan repayment program are available to finance the hospitals, which has been increased by 170% to 390 million euros since 2016. These measures are intended to help create a modern infrastructure and ultimately ensure high-quality healthcare in Hesse. The demands are high, but preparations are in full swing.

For further information on current developments in Hesse, it is worth taking a look at Ärzteblatt, which [presse.hessen.de].