Fürstenfeldbruck Clinic in financial distress: Warning of closures!

Fürstenfeldbruck Clinic in financial distress: Warning of closures!

The situation in hospitals in Germany has been tense for a long time and is becoming increasingly critical. In the Starnberg district, District Administrator Stefan Frey and Thomas Karmasin, President of the Bavarian District Council, spoke clearly about the challenges. Süddeutsche Zeitung quotes Frey, who criticizes the federal government's current health policies as inadequate. The deficits in the Fürstenfeldbruck Clinic, a municipal acute hospital with 380 beds, are alarming: in 2023 they were 1.2 million euros, in 2024 they were already 4.7 million euros, and in 2025 a deficit of around 4 million euros is expected.

A current analysis shows that, according to the Bavarian hospital trend, around 80% of clinics were in the red last year, and an increase to 85% is forecast for 2025. The main reasons for this predicament are the constantly increasing operating costs and the lack of options for refinancing services. Clinic boss Alfons Groitl speaks of a lack of planning security and the dependence on political decisions, which poses major challenges for the clinic.

Cost explosion and uncertainties

A specific concern for the Fürstenfeldbruck Clinic is the drastically increased cost burden: expenses for electricity and gas alone have increased by 250,000 euros annually, without any increase in consumption. Starting in November, hospitals will be allowed to charge a 3.25% surcharge on patient services, but a subsequent deletion of the MFN clause for 2026 will erase some of this surcharge. This regulation means that the clinic is missing 1.7 million euros.

The German Hospital Association also warns of a serious increase in bankruptcies and clinic closures because many hospitals cannot meet the financial requirements. The Fürstenfeldbruck district has so far provided 2.5 million euros annually in support, but that is not enough to plug the financial holes. The planned geriatrics department in the clinic and the application for 28 service groups should help to expand the range of services, but emergency care for time-critical illnesses remains an urgent problem.

The larger crisis in the hospital landscape

The plight of hospitals in Germany is not an isolated case. As [ZDF](https://www.zdfheute.de/politik/deutschland/krankenhaus-reform-notlage- deficit-100.html) reports, the situation of many hospitals has been alarming for years, which ultimately had to be compensated for by the federal government with billions in subsidies. In many places there is too little investment in clinics, buildings and medical technology. The Federal Council approved the clinic reform in November 2024, but concerns about implementation remained. A third of hospital beds remain unused, leading to high financial losses. There will be increasing protests in the countryside as the population fears for hospital care.

Necessary reforms and visions

It is strongly recommended that the planning of new projects in the clinics be integrated into comprehensive strategic considerations. Deloitte emphasizes that structural analyzes are essential for successful project planning in order to derive future care needs and shape regional care. Smaller clinics in particular must review their service groups and collaborations in order to remain competitive in the patient care segment, even under financial circumstances.

Mergers and partnerships are becoming more commonplace to better address the financial challenges of healthcare. It remains to be hoped that the planned reforms can address these sensitive issues and sustainably improve the conditions in the hospital landscape in Germany. Because one thing is clear: health care for the population must not be left behind.