The district hospital in Groß-Gerau is suing the Federal Government for damages in the amount of 1.7 million euros.
In our current Expert interview speaks Prof. Dr. Raab with us not only as CEO the Kreisklinik Groß-Gerau GmbH, but also as a health economist. In doing so, it shares with us its professional assessments of centralisation and financing hospitals and the lawsuit the Clinic against the Federal Republic of Germany with:
Prof. Dr. Raab, what was the reason for you to file a lawsuit against the Federal Republic of Germany?
We are currently in an economically challenging time. The energy crisis and inflation, as well as the effects of the pandemic, are financially increasing hospitals throughout Germany. My impression is that the Federal Government is not acting in accordance with the tense situation and is putting stones in our way when it comes to sufficient funding. It is my job as managing director and health economist to ensure that our clinic is economically stable. In order to ensure this goal in the future, we are now denying legal recourse in order to be able to compensate for the deficit we have suffered in 2023.
Why is the Kreisklinik Groß-Gerau complaining?
As a regional hospital, we are responsible for the general care of the population here in the southern Rhine-Main area. In this respect, we are representative of many clinics in Germany, which are currently under enormous financial pressure. The purpose of the action is not to reduce profits, but merely to compensate for the actual increase in operating costs.
Certainly also a challenging time for you personally – are you worried about coming to terms with the lawsuit in politics?
We have a systematic problem in health policy here due to the massive underfunding of the clinics. My experience from the insolvency proceedings in self-administration has shown how fruitful a trusting cooperation with the district can be. I see myself in the duty to stand up for the economic interests of our clinic and do not shy away from using the rule of law.
In your opinion, what role do innovations and new technologies play in the financing of clinics in the future?
We are currently seeing a rapid technological change in the development of medicine, but also in the field of digital hospital management, which will enable us to make clinics fit for the future and ensure high-quality care for our patients.
How do you feel about the discussed plans to increase the number of large hospitals taking over the main care in the future?
I think the idea that smaller hospitals should be responsible for the care of simple bone fractures or concussions in the future is a mistake. Health care should serve people, not the treasury. In our everyday lives, we experience again and again how healing the contact for patients with their relatives is. Should the concept of strengthening the centralization of hospitals prevail, this means considerably longer travel distances for patients. This can be a problem, especially for older people.
What would you alternatively want from the Federal Government at the end of the interview?
I hope that the political will to speed up hospital reform will finally be taken. Time is pressing and so we expect further cost increases for this year, which will further increase the pressure on the industry without a solution from the legislator. In this respect, I am confident that the importance of the great work of colleagues will be recognised and that this will lead to a change in health policy.
Press contact:
Consilium Legal Communications
Marlen Fasold
+49 (30) 20 91 29 – 70
fasold@consilium.media
