Scoop on the gossip mill: "The local scoop for GL morning brief"
Emergency medical services reinstated at GFO clinics in Rhein-Berg region
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Subscribe for free right nowThe regional hospital changes in NRW are extending to Bergisch Gladbach: The GFO hospitals are utilizing the healthcare sector overhaul to consolidate their stationary, outpatient, and daycare services at a single location each. This shift involves relocations between MKH and VPH, reorganizing emergency care services, and some construction projects. Here's an inside look from GFO clinics Rhein-Berg
GFO clinics Rhein-Berg, operating at its two flagship locations - Marien-Krankenhaus Bergisch Gladbach (MKH) and Vinzenz Pallotti Hospital Bensberg (VPH) - are leading quality improvements for the state hospital plan under the "Reshaping care" banner. The GFO is implementing the state hospital plan by specializing services in stationary, outpatient, and daycare settings.
What's cooking chez nous
In this process, the MKH location is introducing a new service offering for regional care, serving over 150 patients daily.
Following the moves of orthopedists, trauma and spine surgeons, and general and visceral surgeons to Bensberg, the next wave, the internal medicine specialists, are moving to VPH next week.
Emergency care in Rhein-Berg is getting a revamp
With consolidating stationary services, the transformation of emergency care will also be realized as part of hospital planning, and it's getting a redo in the Rheinisch-Bergisch district.
The Central Emergency Ambulance will be concentrated at VPH Bensberg, the Emergency Room in Bergisch Gladbach will focus on neurology, acting as a point of contact for general and minor health concerns, including general nursing and medical care. Simultaneously, GFO is expanding the Ambulatory Surgery Center and setting up medical outpatient clinics at MKH.
In stationary care, neurology with stroke unit, geriatrics, and an intensive care unit remain at MKH. A new palliative care unit will be created at MKH, enhancing compassionate care for these patients at VPH. "We're striving to create a conducive environment for patients and staff in palliative medicine," says Katrin Aulenkamp, GFO Rhein-Berg's commercial director.
VPH is expanding for urology
The Department of Urology will continue to serve at both locations until the fall, enabling ambulatory and endourological surgeries at MKH.
Major, specialized urologic procedures will now take place at VPH. The preparations for the endourology relocation to the VPH location are already underway as a separate budget initiative by GFO. Future urological ambulatory clinics will remain at MKH.
All neurological and geriatric patients will also stay at MKH until the construction of a new building, ensuring continued comprehensive care even for emergency situations thanks to the presence of the stroke unit and a small intensive care unit.
Everything remains the same, only better organized
The implementation of the regional hospital plan means that no services will be lost for GFO Clinics Rhein-Berg. However, we are using this opportunity to better organize our care structures and better meet the increasing demand for outpatient treatments," says GFO Managing Director Dr. Barbara Florange.
"For improving the structural situation, we are still keeping our fingers crossed for positive news from the Ministry of Health. However, we are already taking smaller measures ourselves and ask for patience if there are any speed bumps in the workflow of endourology due to construction measures until the fall," Florange added.
"With the increasing concentration of patients, we can also cater to the wishes of the emergency services for more clarity. It's becoming increasingly clear that all non-neurological emergency cases will be sent to the central emergency department of VPH," says the medical director and chief physician of anesthesiology and intensive care, Dr. Thorsten Löhr.
For the remaining patients at MKH in neurology, geriatrics, and urology, there's still an emergency plan and intensive care beds available.
"Through the concentration of the central emergency department in Bensberg and the specialized orientation of emergency care in the field of neurology in Bergisch Gladbach, the proven medical care for the population in Rhein-Berg and the region will continue to be guaranteed in the future," says the commercial director, Katrin Aulenkamp.
Other stories on the same topic
There's no direct information in the provided search results about the current state of hospital reform in the Rhein-Berg district or its specific impact on GFO clinics, Marien-Krankenhaus Bergisch Gladbach (MKH), or Vinzenz Pallotti Hospital Bensberg (VPH). None of the mentioned documents address hospital policy, reform, or the operations of these institutions.[1][2][3]
General Context:
In recent years, hospital reforms in Germany and North Rhine-Westphalia have focused on improving quality of care, financial sustainability, and service integration. These reforms often aim to:
- Financial Stability: Address hospital funding and cost management, such as changes in reimbursement.
- Specialization: Encourage hospitals to focus on specific treatments rather than providing all services, potentially leading to restructuring or mergers.
- Quality Standards: Increase standards for patient care outcomes.
- Structural Adjustments: Address service consolidation, including hospital consolidations or reorganizations in areas with declining populations or financial problems.
Potential Impact on GFO Clinics Rhein-Berg:
- Roles: MKH and VPH play significant roles within the GFO Rhein-Berg network.
- Reform Implications: If current reforms follow broader NRW trends, these hospitals may face pressure to adapt to new funding models, increase specialization, and engage in regional care networks.
- Patient Care: Efforts to centralize certain services or improve integration could change the services and patient flows at each site.
- "The advancements in science and medical-conditions, such as the implementation of a new service offering for regional care and the expansion of the Ambulatory Surgery Center at Marien-Krankenhaus Bergisch Gladbach (MKH), are part of the wider health-and-wellness landscape in Rhein-Berg."
- "GFO clinics Rhein-Berg's focus on quality improvements for the state hospital plan, including specialized services in stationary, outpatient, and daycare settings, underlines the importance of science and medical-conditions, contributing to the overall health-and-wellness of the region."
