Double-digit million minus in the clinic

Created: 11/21/2022, 08:00

By: Hans Moritz

Economically, the Erding Clinic is developing into a chronic patient.

© Hans Moritz

It has been many years since Klinikum Erding last made a profit.

But since the beginning of the corona pandemic, the deficit has been increasing every year.

An amount in the low double-digit millions is expected for this year.

Erding - That's what Thomas Bauer, CSU faction leader in the district council, said on Sunday at his party's regulars' table.

There is talk of up to 15 million euros.

For comparison: Most recently, the losses added up to five million euros.

"By the middle of the year, the hospital was more than 20 percent below budget," said Bauer.

He and CSU city councilor Burkhard Köppen gave two main reasons for this: There has been no corona aid for the clinics since the summer.

And numerous elective procedures that bring in good money have had to be postponed to preventively keep beds free for Covid patients.

In addition, there were serious staff shortages, which led to the temporary closure of entire stations.

In addition, according to Köppen, the situation in the emergency room is aggravated by the large number of people who are not real emergencies and are therefore only insufficiently reimbursed by the health insurance companies.

Of course, one thing is certain: the district must compensate for the deficit through the district budget.

Nothing comes from the coffers, and loans cannot be taken out for it.

However, there was agreement that the district had to maintain its clinical offer.

The situation is not likely to get any easier, however, because, according to Bauer, "we are also affected by the expected significant wage increases and the sharp rise in energy prices".

Nevertheless, Bauer explained, the district council is committed to expanding the clinic.

The operating room urgently needs to be renovated.

The parking garage is also required.

The construction of the new emergency room in the south of the clinic is particularly important so that it can finally be given a contemporary design.

The ambulance access via the street Am Wasserwerk will also make it quieter for the residents of Bajuwarenstrasse.

Bauer also addressed the personnel situation in the Kreuzeder tavern.

He was surprised that neighboring clinics, such as in Freising, paid sign-up bonuses of between 5,000 and 10,000 euros for new employees.

"We deliberately don't do that, because that would be unfair to those who already work in the clinic." In addition, such payments would further burden the tight district budget (report follows).

"The health insurance companies certainly won't take care of that," said Köppen.

"We prefer to take care of the existing staff," said Bauer, alluding to allowances and bonuses for jumpers in shift work.

In addition, one is considering setting up childcare in the clinic, “if there is a demand for it”.

But it's not too big at the moment.

The shortage of skilled workers in nursing was also discussed.

Bauer reported "that 40 new jobs have been created since 2019".

The problem, however, is filling them.

Arnold Kronseder commented: "The problem is the lack of living space." That's why it's not possible to keep a higher proportion of the graduates of the Erdinger training center for health professions (nursing school) at the clinic.

With regard to the living space, Bauer pointed out the upcoming renovation or expansion of the staff accommodation building.

Köppen reported that the training center had recently received a veritable flood of applications from North Africa.

He didn't know anything about the reasons for this.

Nor how many would actually be willing to come.

He pointed to the problem of a lack of language skills and the demanding training.

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