- The country promotes the purchase of replacement medical equipment
For the acquisition of medical devices and other technology used in clinics, the state is providing 30 million euros to Thuringian hospitals this year. The state government has passed a corresponding regulation, as announced by the State Chancellery. 44 clinic locations are eligible for this flat-rate subsidy, which can also be used for small construction measures. Compared to last year, the total funding amount has decreased by 10 million euros, as a spokesperson for the Ministry of Health confirmed upon request.
In addition to funds for the flat-rate subsidy, the state also provides money for larger investments in hospitals. According to Health Minister Heike Werner (Left), this was last 75 million euros per year. Werner had pointed out, following criticism from the CDU, that these funds had been increased under the Red-Red-Green coalition after the then CDU-led state government had frozen the funds at 50 million euros in 2012. However, representatives of hospitals and health insurers still consider the state's investment funding for clinics to be insufficient.
Call for help from university clinic
The opposition CDU has made hospital policy a campaign issue. The trigger was a distress call from the University Hospital Jena, which complained about inadequate funding of its treatments despite inflation and rising personnel costs, and signaled a need for financial state aid. The possible size of any deficit is unclear. The clinic has not yet published its 2023 business figures.
Medical treatments at hospitals are currently almost exclusively financed by health insurers through fixed prices, known as diagnosis-related group (DRG) flat rates. The clinic reform initiated by Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) aims to change this, with a significant portion of the remuneration already being paid for the provision of certain services, such as emergency rooms. Many clinics find the transition phase challenging.
The state allocation of 30 million euros this year for medical device purchases and technology in Thuringian hospitals can be utilized for small construction measures alongside the flat-rate subsidy. Despite the decrease in funding compared to last year, there are calls for further investment in hospitals due to rising costs and insufficient funding, as highlighted by the University Hospital Jena.
