Central hospitals: The dispute over care in the Murtal is escalating!

Central hospitals: The dispute over care in the Murtal is escalating!

A change in the Styrian healthcare system is emerging: the construction of the new lead hospital in Stainach is in limbo due to political changes and is bringing another centralization project into focus. Erich Schaflinger, chairman of the coordination committee for security of supply, advocates the establishment of a central hospital in the Murtal, as the existing locations in Knittelfeld, Judenburg and Stolzalpe are considered “too much”. Gerhard Stark, the new CEO of KAGes, agrees with this demand and emphasizes the need to focus on modern medical developments. He describes the current state of affairs as inadequate, although a comprehensive reform of the hospital structures in Styria seems unavoidable. “A lead hospital is just one possible solution, but it could take ten years before it becomes a reality,” says Stark, who encourages people to think about central hospitals.

Changes in patient care

A first consequence of this discussion is the planned relocation of the surgical accident clinic from LKH Bruck to Leoben, which is to be implemented from mid-January 2023. This measure aims to improve the quality of care by integrating the trauma clinic into a center that combines various surgical specialties. Stark emphasizes that patients would benefit enormously from such bundled care - especially in emergencies, such as a bicycle accident, which requires different medical specialties. In addition, a small acute outpatient clinic remains in Bruck, which treats more easily treated injuries.

The reactions to these reform plans are tense: The SPÖ is vehemently against the closure, even though the decision to relocate was made by the responsible committees in June 2022. “This is not an emergency, but a planned intervention,” emphasizes the KAGes.

Gerhard Stark took over the management of KAGes on an interim basis on December 1, 2021 and is a promising choice due to his extensive experience in the healthcare industry. State Health Councilor Juliane Bogner-Strauß particularly appreciates his outstanding ability to combine medical knowledge and human experience. Stark himself sees his role as a mission to navigate the challenging times of the pandemic with continuity and to ensure the well-being of Styrians, as noted in the gesundheitswirtschaft.at report.

These rapid developments in the Styrian health sector underline the urgent need for action and the hope for a modern, efficient care situation for all patients in the country.

You can find out more about this at orf.at and gesundheitswirtschaft.at.