Maintain Wittstock primarily as a medical hub wherever feasible. - Maintain Wittstock as a medical hub to the extent practicable
In the small town of Wittstock, Brandenburg, a looming hospital closure has sparked concern among residents. The Wittstock hospital, which does not fall under hospital reform exemptions, is set to close on January 1, 2027, according to KMG Kliniken Nordbrandenburg's plans.
However, a coalition between the SPD/BSW and Brandenburg's health minister, Britta Müller, and Wittstock's mayor, Philipp Wacker, aim to retain the hospital site, not necessarily as a clinic. They believe that long-term emergency care must be guaranteed in Wittstock.
The federal government is expected to better consider rural areas like Wittstock in hospital reform, and Britta Müller is advocating for closer integration of hospitals and doctor's practices to ensure continuity of care.
Britta Müller and Philipp Wacker recently held a meeting to discuss the hospital closure in Wittstock, during which the mayor expressed the need for a permanent emergency room and cardiac care in the town.
In an effort to ensure the best possible care for Wittstock residents, cardiac and gastroenterology services will be transferred to the Pritzwalk (Prignitz) clinic.
As part of the hospital reform, funding will be gradually shifted, and a roundtable is planned for early September in Wittstock to discuss the hospital situation. Britta Müller plans to hold KMG accountable for its care mandate.
In the midst of these developments, Britta Müller believes the hospital reform may lead to longer trips to the doctor for some patients. Yet, she remains optimistic about the potential for strengthening outpatient care, enhancing integrated care networks, and expanding specialized centers in nearby hospitals to compensate for the closure of smaller facilities like Wittstock.
The Universitätsklinikum Ruppin-Brandenburg, which serves that region, may play a key role in providing continued care in the area. However, for precise details about the alternative care arrangements for Wittstock after the closure, such as which hospitals or services will take over patient care, or plans for emergency service coverage, it would be best to consult official statements or local government publications related to the hospital reform in Brandenburg.
As the hospital reform came into effect on January 1, states will assign performance groups to their clinics by the end of 2026. Many regions feel overlooked in the ongoing hospital reform, and the fight to retain essential healthcare services in Wittstock continues.
- The coalition between the SPD/BSW, Brandenburg's health minister Britta Müller, and Wittstock's mayor Philipp Wacker are working to implement a community policy that aims to retain the hospital site, focusing on guaranteeing long-term emergency care in Wittstock.
- In the coming hospital reform, Britta Müller proposes a health policy change, advocating for closer integration of hospitals and doctor's practices to ensure continuity of care, as well as the expansion of specialized centers in nearby hospitals to compensate for the closure of smaller facilities like Wittstock.
