Clinic merger in Bremen: 22 million euros more expensive and delayed!

Clinic merger in Bremen: 22 million euros more expensive and delayed!

Something is happening in the healthcare landscape in Bremen. The Bremen-Mitte Clinic has big plans, but they now have to be implemented more expensively and later than originally thought. The merger with the “Links der Weser” hospital has taken a decisive step forward, but the current cost estimates are around 170 million euros, which is around 14 percent higher than the initially estimated 148 million euros. Although this cost increase is within the usual range of up to 20 percent, those responsible are still required to master the complex construction phases in a timely manner, especially with regard to the statics of closing the gap, which poses a number of challenges.

The construction work at the Bremen-Mitte Clinic aims to create space for cardiac catheter laboratories and cardiac surgeries and to better connect the existing clinic buildings with one another. This shows that not only the scale of the construction work has increased, but also the technical effort, such as deeper and larger pile foundations and complex laying of underground pipes. It also turned out that a planned false ceiling in house 1 could not be installed for static reasons. Unfortunately, this means that part of the building will have to be demolished and rebuilt. Due to these challenges, the schedule for closing the gap has been postponed and is now only scheduled to be completed in November 2029.

Strategic significance of the merger

Dr. Dorothea Thirteenter, Geno's Medical Director, emphasizes the strategic importance of this project for security of supply in Bremen and the region. This merger comes at a time when hospitals are allowed to merge without competition law until the end of 2030, made possible by the federal hospital reform. This law aims to improve the supply structures in Germany and promote greater centralization and specialization. However, the necessary approval of the merger must come from the responsible state authority, which represents an additional step in the process, as reported on Ärzteblatt.

The upcoming hospital reform includes 65 service groups with specific requirements for personnel and technical equipment. This is supported, among other things, by a retention fee that accounts for 60 percent of the previous diagnosis-related flat rates (DRG), with the reform scheduled to come into force from 2025. The aim is to take pressure off the clinics and improve their profitability, especially in rural regions where many hospitals are affected by financial difficulties.

The way into the future

Given the increasing challenges in healthcare, there is a broad consensus that reform is becoming increasingly important. Lauterbach, the Federal Minister of Health, has determined that the transformation fund, which is endowed with around 50 billion euros, should help to relieve the economic burden on hospitals. These funds are intended for restructuring between 2026 and 2035 and are intended to help secure basic services, especially in rural areas.

In a healthcare system that is constantly changing, it remains to be seen how the current merger of the Bremen-Mitte Clinic will develop in the next few years. One thing is certain: the challenges are great, but the efforts to improve medical care can be clearly seen in the current reforms.