Hospital financing in Germany: Alarming deficits threaten (95 characters)

Hospital financing in Germany: Alarming deficits threaten (95 characters)

The Baden-Württemberg Hospital Society (BWKG) raises the alarm about the financial situation of the clinics in the region. According to CEO Heiner Scheffold, 85 percent of hospitals in the country fear high deficits for 2024. In the current year alone, the clinics lack 900 million euros, which indicates financial imbalance. If you add the deficits of the past year, there is a total amount of over 1.5 billion euros.

This financial bottleneck is considered a direct consequence of the failed federal hospital policy of the federal government. Costs for personnel and material funds have risen above average in the past two years, while permanent and reliable financing is missing. Instead of receiving necessary investments, many clinics are forced to reduce or even close their services. This structural change is criticized because it is at the expense of medical care for the population.

A survey by the German Hospital Institute (DKI) showed that almost half of the hospitals are expected to restrict their range of services across Germany. In Baden-Württemberg there are already three hospitals in insolvency proceedings. Last summer, the state government announced an aid package of 126 million euros for the clinics. However, the BWKG warned that this one -off payment could only serve as short -term help and that structural improvements are necessary.