GKV Less hospital closures planned

Expert Opinion: Fewer clinics closed than expected

08/26/2014

An opinion of the statutory health insurance (GKV) comes to the conclusion that significantly fewer clinics have been closed in Germany in the last ten years than previously assumed. However, the Federal Statistical Office assumes other figures.

Less clinics closed than expected
According to the health insurance companies, much fewer clinics were closed in Germany than previously assumed. Although the Federal Statistical Office, according to a dpa report for 2003 to 2012 from a decrease in the number of hospitals by a total of 204 to 2017, but one study published on Monday by the Central Association of Statutory Health Insurance (GKV) According to only 74 have completely abandoned , For example, some of the houses were taken over by other providers or merged with other clinics. In addition, clinic closures were the cause of only a fraction of the 46,000 beds that had been removed; only 5,200 beds could be explained in this way. For years, experts have been making increasing cost pressures due to advances in medical technology and demographic change responsible for closing the clinic.

Especially small hospitals affected
Above all, it has „smaller and smallest hospitals“ met with an average of 70 beds, as it says in the study. Of these market exits 70 percent were again in metropolitan areas - apparently in competition with larger hospitals - registered. If possible, the closure of a hospital is avoided, even if there are long-standing doubts about economic efficiency and relevance for the supply of the population, the study goes on to say. According to this, public sponsors and responsible politicians in particular, for reasons of strategic choice, would have a complete inhibition of closing hospitals. „At almost any price“ will then be held at the house.

Structural crisis in the hospital market
This has led to a structural crisis in the hospital market. The authors of the study criticize: „The lack of capacity adjustment due to the high market exit barriers has led many market participants to incur permanently high losses, are threatened by bankruptcy and are no longer able to provide optimal supply.“ Georg Baum, chief executive of the German Hospital Association (DKG), opposed the study: „The analysis confirms that very intensive structural adjustments are taking place in the hospital sector. Because behind each of the 204 closed or not independently operated hospitals are capacity and performance adjustments to the specific local needs.“

High cost of closures
With their study bring the health insurance companies again „expressing that their goal is to cut costs without consideration, but not the medical care of people in the regions“, so tree. However, the DKG agreed with the GKV-Spitzenverband that the structural adjustments needed financial support „and that decisions must be taken as part of the health care reform.“ The study refers to high closing costs for the carrier in case of a market exit and is urgently recommended „Market exit aid or aid to transform hospitals into other health care services.“ Concrete plans for this amount of 500 million euros were the Union and SPD in the fall of 2013 „At the last minute, removed from the coalition agreement“ Service. (Ad)