Bonn (dpa / lnw) - The Federal Cartel Office has given the Order of St. John the green light to acquire four hospitals in Hamm, Lippstadt and Gronau in Westphalia. The president of the supervisory authority, Andreas Mundt, said on Tuesday that the entry of the Johanniter would help to secure the affected hospital sites. "There is no reason to fear a significant hindrance to effective competition or disadvantages for patients."
The Johanniter Group, best known for the Johanniter accident aid, announced in January that it would take over the Evangelical Lukas Hospital in Gronau, the Evangelical Hospital in Hamm, the Evangelical Hospital in Lippstadt and the Catholic St. Marien Hospital in Hamm to want.
Nationwide, the Johanniter operate 18 hospitals, specialist and rehabilitation clinics, several medical care centers (MVZ), 94 retirement homes, three hospices and three nursing schools. However, as the investigations by the Federal Cartel Office revealed, none of these existing facilities is in direct competition with the newly acquired facilities in Hamm, Lippstadt and Gronau.
