Dresden Clinic is struggling with a 15 million euro deficit – what now?

Dresden Clinic is struggling with a 15 million euro deficit – what now?

In Dresden there is currently reason for concern in the city's healthcare system. The Dresden Municipal Hospital closed the year 2024 with a deficit of almost 15 million euros. This financial imbalance is not only a challenge for the clinic itself, but also reflects a nationwide dilemma: Over 80 percent of German hospitals are struggling with similar difficulties, which are caused, among other things, by rising personnel and material costs.

In 2022, the clinic generated sales of almost 400 million euros. Nevertheless, the main causes of the deficit show that even economically well-positioned clinics reach systemic limits. In this context, Dirk Töpfer, the hospital's commercial director, emphasizes that the challenges of the healthcare system are not easy to overcome, especially during the term of office of Health Minister Karl Lauterbach from the SPD, which is considered a time of many financial difficulties.

Financial perspectives and savings measures

Despite the negative balance, there are also optimistic approaches. Improvements in patient treatment and strict cost controls resulted in the deficit being lower than originally forecast. A loss of 19 million euros was originally expected. In addition, an increase in inpatient treatment of more than three percent compared to the previous year was recorded, while developments in psychiatry, geriatric rehabilitation and the outpatient area offer rays of hope.

Meanwhile, the city administration has announced that it will continue to support the clinic as a central part of the municipal services. Social Mayor Kris Kaufmann reiterated the city's position in support of the clinic, even if the political factions CDU, FDP and Free Citizens are calling for tough austerity measures. They want comprehensive economic checks with the aim of saving around 1.5 percent of the total expenditure annually, i.e. around 6 million euros.

Future plans and reforms in healthcare

The clinic is already planning a package of measures for financial stabilization, which includes, among other things, the expansion of digitalization and medical specialization. Optimizing processes is also on the agenda. The city also wants to push forward with the 2035 future concept, which envisages a concentration of inpatient care in Friedrichstadt, while emergency care in Trachau remains unclear.

To provide further support, short-term financial aid from the federal government is planned for 2025 and 2026. These measures are related to a planned hospital reform in Saxony, which is due to come into force on January 1, 2027 and already incorporates elements of the nationwide reforms. These reforms, as the Wirtschaftsdienst makes clear, are intended to make the health system more sustainable and efficient.

In these challenging times, it remains to be seen how the Dresden Municipal Hospital will cope with the coming years and what concrete steps can actually be taken to stabilize it. The situation is tense, but with a good hand and clever strategies it could be possible to keep the clinic on track.