Healthcare Under Potential Threat
In Grevenbroich, Mayor Klaus Krützen has emerged as the voice for those concerned about the city's and surrounding area's medical care, prompted by three significant events: the hospital reform mandated in Berlin, NRW's own hospital reform, and the Rheinland Clinic's restructuring, particularly its owners—the district and the city of Neuss.
Krützen, in a statement released by the city's press office, calls for transparency and clarity to ensure the continuity and local accessibility of emergency care. The mayor asserts, "The people of Grevenbroich deserve secure and readily accessible emergency care, an essential aspect that must not be compromised; solutions must be found to maintain healthcare."
The proposed hospital restructuring plans by NRW, moving from a bed-based planning system to a performance group allocation model, have sparked concerns among hospitals, municipalities, and the public, due to their ambiguity and extensive uncertainties. The state government's lack of transparent communication on which locations will lose specific services and the frequent deadlocks between hospital operators and health insurance companies over service allocation are major sources of anxiety.
In the case of Grevenbroich, the proposed revamp for the Rheinland Clinic site envisions it as a specialist clinic focusing on geriatrics and general internal medicine, albeit without an on-site emergency department. The announcement has unleashed justified protests from the public, who demand their concerns be addressed rather than being confronted with fait accompli decisions.
Krützen advocates for greater transparency in municipal involvement and a discernible strategy from the state government. The strategy should prioritize hospital mergers, financial savings, and investments in healthcare infrastructure, he states. "Hospitals in NRW are grappling with significant investment deficits while simultaneously being kept in the dark about their futures. The state government must fulfill its responsibility and allocate necessary funds for a future-proof hospital plan," the mayor contends.
Concluding his remarks, Krützen insists, "The well-being of the people must not sacrifice to opaque decision-making processes. I demand clear prospects for Grevenbroich and a strategy that does not jeopardize emergency care in the region."
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Krützen emphasizes the necessity of transparency and clarity in healthcare reform, particularly concerning emergency care in Grevenbroich, stating, "The people of Grevenbroich deserve secure and readily accessible emergency care, an essential aspect that must not be compromised; solutions must be found to maintain healthcare." Furthermore, in advocating for a future-proof hospital plan in NRW, Krützen calls on the state government to fulfill its responsibility and allocate necessary funds, asserting, "Hospitals in NRW are grappling with significant investment deficits while simultaneously being kept in the dark about their futures. The state government must allocate necessary funds for a future-proof hospital plan."
