Health News

DKV stops construction of health centers

DKV stops construction of health centers

05/07/2011

Change of strategy at the German health insurance (DKV). The private health insurance does not want to expand further health centers and physician networks in the future, reported a board member of the DKV opposite the „Financial Times Germany“.

The German health insurance (DKV) has stopped the further expansion of its own health centers. Private health insurance is thus undergoing a change of strategy in the future direction of its business area. In 2003, DKV, now part of the Ergo Group, became the first private health insurance company to put a private medical center into operation. In the following years, three more health centers were added.

Further expansion of health centers stopped
However, the DKV now wants to say goodbye to its original strategy and not expand the medical networks and health centers, the insurance reported. Instead, in the future more should be put on advice and information of the insured. Compared to the Financial Times Germany, the board member of DKV, Silke Lautenschläger: „We understand that we can not operate centers and networks nationwide for DKV insured persons alone.“ However, the four established health centers, such as the private medical center Gomedus, should continue their activities in the future. In the health centers, freelance doctors pay rent and a fee for administrative work and explicitly look after the care of the private insured.

Originally planned up to 15 health centers
By setting up the health centers, DKV wanted to expand its business by selling health insurance products and acquiring additional health care and healthcare services. In addition to the already existing health centers, another 10 to 15 units should follow throughout Germany. But the model has not yet paid off for the DKV and so the Board of Directors is now saying goodbye to a further expansion of the health centers. Instead, advice and information for those insured should once again come more to the fore in DKV's business activities. (Fp)