Clinics Ostalb rely on specialization: Future concept decided!

Clinics Ostalb rely on specialization: Future concept decided!

Aalen, Deutschland - The clinics in the Ostalb district are faced with a fundamental restructuring! After intensive discussions, the district council decided on the future concept for the Ostalb clinics. This happened on September 24, 2024 with a majority of 49 to 21 votes. The concept provides for concentrating the clinical services and promoting specialized departments to counter the existential challenges of the German hospital landscape, such as Schwaebische.de. This reform is supported by the Federal Government and aims to secure the hospital care in the region in the long term and make it economically viable.

strategic focus of the restructuring

As part of the future concept, the clinic locations in Aalen, Schwäbisch Gmünd, Mutlangen and Ellwangen will take on specific care tasks. The Ostalb Clinic Aalen becomes a central emergency supplier with special centers for heart and head diseases. The Stauferklinikum in Schwäbisch Gmünd will expand its oncological center and the St. Anna-Virngrund-Klinik in Ellwangen will build up a modern health supply with 24/7 emergency offers. Christoph Rieß, the CEO of the Ostalb Clinics, emphasizes that this concentration should benefit both patients and employees, as well as Kliniken-ostalb.de.

Despite the ongoing implementation measures, financial improvements are only expected from 2027. A loss of 60 million euros will be forecast for 2024. The pressure on the clinics is significant, since according to current estimates, 80 percent of hospitals in Baden-Württemberg expect losses and 25 percent see a high risk of bankruptcy for 2025. The future concept is not only a reaction to this crisis, but also a strategic step to ensure medical care in the region.