Opting for outpatient treatment instead of hospitalization - Prior to its restructuring, KMG-Clinic in Bad Frankenhausen
KMG Health Facilities in Northern Thuringia are Planning a Location shift in Bad Frankenhausen (Kyffhäuser District). The in-house treatment at Manniske Hospital is expected to end by June 2025, as per the announcement made by the private clinic administrators. The decline in patient numbers and limited service range has made in-house treatment unreliable at this site. Parts of the hospital currently remain vacant.
The building is set to transform into an outpatient health center, also accessible by general practitioners for minor surgeries. The emergency services will relocate to modern facilities on the premises.
As per Thuringia's Health Minister Heike Werner (Left), the majority of patients are already treated on an outpatient basis at this location. There's a Medical Care Center (MVZ) with seven individual doctor's practices. Last year, they treated approximately 23,000 individuals and performed 4,200 outpatient surgeries. However, only 2,500 patients required in-house treatment. The low patient numbers and the inability to perform complex treatments and surgeries have deterred medical professionals towards this location, as explained by the clinic administrators.
Werner described the KMG Clinics management as tackling this situation proactively and responsibly, ensuring caution and foresight to preserve and strengthen the health center in Bad Frankenhausen.
KMG continues to operate hospitals in nearby Sondershausen and Sömmerda, Thuringia. A new building is currently under construction in Sömmerda, funded by state investments. Through these locations, regional in-house services will be maintained, as per Werner.
Approximately 140 employees work at the Bad Frankenhausen location. The majority of staff can be offered continued employment at Sömmerda and Sondershausen sites, as explained by KMG Clinics.
In 2019, KMG, headquartered in Brandenburg, acquired the hospitals in Bad Frankenhausen, Sondershausen, and Sömmerda following the bankruptcy of the previous operator DRK, due to the financial instability of Manniske Clinic.
The recent closure of the private Sternbach Clinic in Schleiz (Saale-Orla district) due to insolvency generated a stir in Thuringia. The state medical association is urging new ideas for small rural hospitals confronting economic issues.
Other medical professionals might find opportunities at the Medical Care Center in Bad Frankenhausen, as it sees a high number of outpatient visits and surgeries, despite the low demand for in-house treatment. Understanding the shifting focus of KMG Health Facilities towards outpatient services, other healthcare providers might consider aligning their practices with this trend in the region.
