Halle and Magdeburg University Hospitals: Financial crisis despite 500 million euros in investments!

Halle and Magdeburg University Hospitals: Financial crisis despite 500 million euros in investments!

The university hospitals in Saxony-Anhalt, namely Halle and Magdeburg, are facing significant financial challenges. Despite extensive investments of almost 500 million euros, the two institutions are still in the red. Significant losses are expected for 2025, which will further exacerbate the situation. The reasons for the ongoing deficits lie primarily in rising costs and extensive construction projects, which are placing a heavy burden on the clinics. Loud MDR The deficit at the two university hospitals amounted to around 325 million euros in the period from 2020 to 2024.

Particularly worrying are the unrefined tariff and material cost increases, which the Ministry of Science cites as further factors for the financial problems. In addition, the price increases in the procurement areas are higher than the increases in remuneration for university providers, which puts further strain on the clinics. Current construction projects at the University Hospital Magdeburg, including a new heart center worth around 197 million euros, and the structural development projects at the University Medical Center Halle with a total volume of around 300 million euros also contribute to these losses.

Acute financial problems

In addition to the existing challenges, the university hospitals in Halle and Magdeburg now have acute financial problems that endanger their solvency. The previous credit limits totaling 140 million euros are proving to be inadequate. In a non-public meeting of the state parliament's finance committee, it was therefore decided to give the clinics the opportunity to go into debt by a further 100 million euros. Halle previously had a credit limit of 50 million euros and Magdeburg of 90 million euros; Both clinics are now allowed to take on additional debt of 50 million euros each, reports Press portal.

The financial bottlenecks are not new: the Halle University Hospital closed the 2023 financial year with a deficit of 16.8 million euros, while a loss of 47.6 million euros is expected in Magdeburg. The rising costs far exceed the revenues of health insurance companies, which further exacerbates the situation. In addition, significantly fewer patients can be cared for than before the corona pandemic.

Economic challenges and measures

Alexander Beblacz, the commercial director of the Halle University Hospital, commented on the financial difficulties and described them as “significant economic challenges” and the result of structural underfinancing. A consolidation program to address the challenges has already been initiated, but no specific details on cost reductions have been released.

The persistent red numbers and the acute financial problems of the university hospitals in Saxony-Anhalt shed a worrying light on the infrastructure and future medical care in the region. Experts and decision-makers are called upon to find solutions to get the clinics back on a stable course.