Despite the Berlin Senate still not having adopted a corresponding state hospital plan to implement the hospital reform, the DRK Sisters’ Clinic in Drontheimer Street in Berlin is now apparently set to be closed. No classical clinic will be operated in Wedding in a few years, but the site will be used in a different way, the free hospital chain confirmed to the “Tagesspiegel” on Monday. The possibilities include a doctor’s surgery, an ambulatory health center, or a care home.
Certain stations of the clinic are to be relocated to Westend, with the provider speaking of a “fusion”. In Westend, the DRK clinics also operate a hospital with almost 520 beds and more than 900 employees, and there is another DRK clinic in Köpenick.
According to the newspaper, the managing director of the DRK clinics, Christian Friese, will inform the staff of the entire chain about possible plans starting this Monday. Layoffs can likely be largely avoided, as the chain needs the personnel in its various facilities. The DRK Westend clinic, however, will close its pediatric surgery in the coming weeks, it was said. It seems that the provider is also anticipating aspects of the reform proposed by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD).
Lauterbach’s reform aims to create fewer, but more specialized clinics. By introducing so-called performance groups, hospitals will only be allowed to treat certain patient groups if they meet new, established standards.
The DRK clinic has 260 beds, more than 400 employees, and an emergency room. The hospital, often referred to as “Dronte” in the industry, treats around 35,000 patients per year.