Schwerin (dpa/mv) - Galloping energy prices and general cost increases are endangering medical care in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, according to the state hospital association. With a few exceptions, the 37 clinics in the northeast, which have already been weakened by the corona pandemic, can no longer shoulder the increased costs. Nationwide, 40 percent of hospitals would already describe their liquidity situation as critical, said the managing director of the hospital company, Uwe Borchmann, on Tuesday in Schwerin.
He warned of the consequences of impending clinic closures. The people in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania already have one of the longest routes to the nearest hospital nationwide. "We can therefore not allow ourselves to further thin out the locations without endangering the supply of the people," warned Borchmann.
He called for state financial aid in order to be able to cope with the energy costs, which have in some cases quadrupled. The federal government's reform plans to stabilize the health insurance funds must be stopped, as they would accelerate the economic decline of the hospitals and result in the dismissal of medical staff. Borchmann is demanding that the state government stand up for the handles at the federal level and initiate its own rescue measures. A climate investment fund is to be set up for the energetic refurbishment of the clinic building with the aim of saving energy.
