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Medical care in Melsungen: Citizens support the clinic!
Melsungen struggles for medical care after the clinic closes. Citizens' initiative calls for return to hospital and innovative health concepts.
Medical care in Melsungen: Citizens support the clinic!
There are great concerns about medical care in Melsungen: the city has not had its own hospital for over two years and the emergency room is closed. This has triggered an incredible need for improvements among citizens, so that Hessenschau reports on a citizens' initiative that has hundreds of supporters. This initiative seeks to revitalize a hospital and calls for emergency inpatient care for both adults and children.
The foundation stone for a new clinic building was actually laid seven years ago, but it now looks as if the building site is becoming overgrown. “There will no longer be a classic hospital,” explains Deputy District Administrator Jürgen Kaufmann (SPD), making it clear that the plans for a medical care center (MVK) were rejected due to financial impossibility. But that doesn't make the Melsungers give up.
New health center being planned
Against this background, there is confusion about the plans for an intersectoral health center (IGZ). This is intended to offer outpatient services in areas such as surgery and internal medicine. A medical care center (MVZ) and an emergency doctor should also be part of the concept. Kaufmann confirms that the plans for the IGZ will be adhered to, even if the legal hurdles for inpatient emergency care are high.
“We need on-site offers,” demands Roy Knauf, initiator of the citizens’ initiative, and he points out that people in the region expect equivalent health care. The Hessian Ministry of Health has also already ensured that inpatient care is provided via surrounding hospitals. As a rule, the legally required time limit of ten minutes is adhered to, which is reassuring for many citizens.
Challenges of rural healthcare
The challenges of health care in rural areas should not be underestimated. The population expects high-quality healthcare regardless of where they live, while the density of doctors in rural regions is often lower than in urban areas. Many of those affected have to travel long distances to get to specialists. The Federal Agency for Civic Education emphasizes that innovative concepts are needed to close these gaps.
An attempt is being made to redesign medical care in rural areas with a hospital reform that is intended to network clinics more closely and increase the quality of treatment. Clinics that demonstrate certain qualitative requirements receive 60 percent of the remuneration for their services. In view of the deficit of over one billion euros that all hospitals in Hesse have, changes are urgently needed.
The people of Melsung can be excited to see what concrete plans they will have for the IGZ by the end of the year at the latest. An information event for citizens is also already being planned. But the question remains: Will the IGZ bring the urgently needed improvement in medical care or does the desire for our own hospital in Melsungen remain an unfulfilled dream?