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Fear of "deforestation" after the Kelheim clinic deal - no more abortions possible

2022-07-07T06:17:47.949Z


Fear of "deforestation" after the Kelheim clinic deal - no more abortions possible Created: 07/07/2022, 07:58 By: Stefan Aigner Signing of the contract: Caritas Director Michael Weißmann (left) and District Administrator Martin Neumeyer (CSU) seal the "strategic partnership". It is doubtful that this deal is sustainable. © Photo: Caritas Regensburg Employees are perplexed: the managing directo


Fear of "deforestation" after the Kelheim clinic deal - no more abortions possible

Created: 07/07/2022, 07:58

By: Stefan Aigner

Signing of the contract: Caritas Director Michael Weißmann (left) and District Administrator Martin Neumeyer (CSU) seal the "strategic partnership".

It is doubtful that this deal is sustainable.

© Photo: Caritas Regensburg

Employees are perplexed: the managing director was replaced in the questionable clinic deal between the district of Kelheim and Caritas Regensburg.  

Regensburg/Kelheim – The much-criticized clinic deal between the district of Kelheim and the Caritas Association of Regensburg is now finally done.

The former Goldberg Clinic has recently been operating under the name Caritas Hospital St. Lukas GmbH.

A new supervisory board was constituted on June 27th – chaired by Dr.

Clemens Prokop, President of the Landshut District Court and Deputy Chairman of the Caritas Association.

Clinic deal in Kelheim: the district pays, Caritas is in charge

The first official act of the supervisory board caused certain irritations within the workforce: the long-time managing director Dagmar Reich, who was said to have a good relationship with the works council, was replaced by Sabine Hehn, an employee of the controversial consulting company Oberender AG, which had signed the clinic deal made a significant contribution.

As reported several times, Caritas has taken over the majority in the previously municipal hospital for a symbolic euro and thus has all the essential decision-making powers.

Irrespective of this, the district must continue to bear all the burdens and risks for the past and future as part of this "strategic partnership" - according to current estimates, a three-digit million amount in the next ten years alone.

After the clinic deal with Caritas: No more abortions in the Kelheim hospital

The aim of the partnership with Caritas is to continue to ensure the medical care of the district citizens, says District Administrator Martin Neumeyer (CSU).

The much-vaunted "synergy effects" and benefits that this construct is supposed to bring are vague.

The "future concept" that the Bayreuth-based Oberender AG presented on behalf of Caritas is based on many uncertain forecasts and assumptions.

Most recently, the loss of the last hospital in the region where abortions were performed, which went hand in hand with the church takeover, caused criticism.

Initial attempts to push the employees out of the TVÖD into the church collective agreement caused a stir for a short time, but were stopped by resistance from the union and the works council.

Clinic deal in Kelheim: Oberender AG takes over the management

Nevertheless, many employees were perplexed when Sabine Hehn introduced herself as the new managing director last Thursday.

Her predecessor Dagmar Reich, who has been at the Kelheim Hospital since 2006, was recognized by the workforce and supported the call for an improved personnel ratio.

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Reich's successor is Sabine Hehn as part of a management contract that Caritas has concluded with Oberender AG.

A well-known approach of the company, which, in addition to consulting, includes the management contracts mentioned, but also the purchase and sale of clinics in its portfolio.

Clinic deal with Oberender: action group fears "deforestation"

Criticism of the current personnel comes from the “action group No more hospital deaths in Bavaria” founded in 2021.

The departure of the previous managing director without a word of thanks or recognition - in the said press release from the district and Caritas not even Reich's name is mentioned - is affected, according to the letter, which was sent, among other things, by Peter Ferstl, chairman of the Catholic Workers' Movement Kelheim, was signed.

"It is to be feared that the new Caritas Hospital St. Lukas will now experience a clear cut with its new era and will gradually replace its services with low-threshold, inexpensive outpatient services, to the detriment of the residents of the Kelheim district," it continues.

Controversial advisors at Kelheim Hospital: There was often criticism of Oberender

The action group is clearly concerned that Oberender AG is now permanently involved in the management of the hospital.

It was "generally known" that this company was "involved in many clinic concentration processes or clinic closures".

The letter refers in particular to the Kliniken Nordoberpfalz AG in Weiden, where several smaller locations were closed with the advice and aegis of Oberender people.

However, according to the action group, this has not led to economic improvements, but to deterioration for the patients.

The action group is asking the district of Kelheim and Caritas to explain themselves about the personnel decision.

After Oberender's commitment, there had been repeated criticism of the company at other clinic locations.

In some cases, promises and forecasts were not kept.

Most clinics are still in the red.

With regard to an Oberender management mandate in Ingelheim (Rhineland-Palatinate), an audit report by the state audit office spoke of opaque forecasts, excessive fees and private awards.

"Future concept" at the clinic deal: more performance, hardly any more nursing staff

In Kelheim, at least that's what Caritas Regensburg assures in a statement to our editorial team, it shouldn't get that far.

As part of the management contract, Oberender AG must “adhere to the specifications of the contractual agreements (...) that the Kelheim district and the Caritas Association for the Regensburg diocese have agreed on”.

“The direction that the clinic is taking is therefore set by Caritas and the district.

It is still uncertain where the journey of the Kelheim hospital with the name of Caritas on the door and market-radical consultants in the background will lead.

According to the concept presented by Oberender, the aim is to increase the number of cases by around 20 percent and the performance by around 31 percent by 2028.

But there should hardly be any additional nursing staff for this.

Despite the clinic deal: the deficit at the Kelheim hospital remains high

As a result - according to the one presented by Oberender - the operating cost deficit should be "only" 86.8 million euros by 2032, an average of 8.6 million euros per year.

If nothing happens, this deficit will rise to over 125 million, write the management consultants.

For comparison: Most recently, the Goldberg Clinic’s annual deficit – despite the corona pandemic – was around six million euros.

But at least for the CEO of Oberender AG, Jan Hacker, the solution now presented is a "right course for the future".

By the way: Our brand new Regensburg newsletter regularly informs you about all the important stories from the world cultural heritage city and the Upper Palatinate.

Sign up here.

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-07-07

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