Wertheim closes clinic - new hospital should start again in 2025!

Mayor Markus Herrera Torrez spoke in an interview about the challenges and progress in connection with the restart of the hospital in Wertheim. The transition from crisis management to activation management has been emphasized, although despite the difficulties, joy in work can be felt. In particular, the closure of the Red Cross Clinic has caused disappointment among the employees and represents an important topic for the population, especially with regard to emergency care.

Herrera Torrez expressed optimistic about the reopening of the Wertheim Citizens' Hospital and hopes that it will run in full operation within one year. The Red Cross Clinic already registered bankruptcy in September 2023, which led to the announcement of the liquidation by the insolvency administrator in June 2023. In August 2023, the municipal council decided to acquire the clinic building, followed by the approval of the resumption of the hospital operations in September 2023. In November 2023, the lease was signed and initial operations were held in December 2023. However, the approval for ensuring emergency care is still pending.

financial considerations and support

The city of Wertheim has already made household preparations to meet the current challenges. This includes reducing expenses and a shift in investments as well as the need to increase income through tax increases. The city hopes for support from neighboring municipalities and the district with regard to emergency care. Külsheim plans to participate in the deficiency compensation with up to 30,000 euros, and a total amount of 500,000 euros is sought.

In order to ensure the long -term emergency care, the city administration, local council, medical profession and citizens have worked together. Even though the efforts of the clinic's urban sponsors have failed, the clinic area was acquired on August 12, 2023. The planned usage concept includes the establishment of a basic, regular and emergency supply, a bariatric specialist department as well as inpatient neurological rehabilitation. The start of the company is planned for the end of 2024 or early 2025. In addition, the existing dialysis center will continue to be operated, and the first facility, the Mediclin's kitchen, started operating in early December 2023.

For the restart of the hospital as a citizen hospital Wertheim, a compensation and care agreement was decided on October 28, 2023 with an annual grant of EUR 2.75 million. These measures, paired with the signals of support from neighboring municipalities and the Main-Tauber district, are intended to ensure that the supply of the population in the field of emergency medicine will remain sustainable in the future.