Bergmann Hospital in Potsdam to close orthopedics and vascular surgery due to hospital reform

Background of the reform

Managing Director Tomislav Gmajnic stated: "Krankenhäuser in ganz Deutschland müssen sich derzeit auf neue Rahmenbedingungen einstellen. Unser Ziel ist dabei klar: Die Menschen in Potsdam und Brandenburg sollen auch künftig auf eine hochwertige, verlässliche und wohnortnahe Versorgung vertrauen können." At the same time, the hospital emphasized that the decision is "ausdrücklich keine Bewertung der Arbeit der Teams."

Affected patients would be "informed in a timely and individual manner about the further procedure," according to the statement. Ongoing treatments and already scheduled appointments would be reviewed and "continued in an orderly manner." "Medizinisch notwendige Übergänge werden so vorbereitet, dass die kontinuierliche Versorgung jederzeit sichergestellt bleibt."

What does this mean for patients?

The hospital has not yet provided specific information – for example, on the timeline, affected positions, or the locations to which patients will be referred in the future. A request from this newspaper for comment has not yet been answered. Nor was there initially any announcement regarding the number of affected employees and possible reassignments to other departments.

The closure of the two specialist departments follows the goal of the reform to reduce duplicate structures in inpatient care. By providing certain procedures only at a few, specialized hospitals, treatment quality is to increase. In Potsdam, this means a visible shift in the range of services offered by the municipal hospital.

Impact on the Potsdam hospital landscape

With regard to the healthcare landscape in Brandenburg, the step does not only affect Bergmann Hospital. St. Josefs Hospital, which also belongs to the Catholic Alexianer Group, as well as other hospitals in the region will also align their service offerings with the new framework. Responsibilities are thus shifting within the Potsdam hospital landscape.

Patients currently being treated in the vascular surgery or orthopedics departments of Bergmann Hospital must prepare for a changeover. Those specifically affected can currently only find out through the treating facilities directly – a central point of contact or an overview of the new procedures has not yet been published.

The nationwide hospital reform aims to reorganize inpatient care and align it more strongly with quality criteria. For individual hospitals such as the Potsdam Bergmann Hospital, this means a noticeable cut in the previous range of services.

Further developments

Observers from the healthcare sector view the step as an example of how the reform is taking effect across the board. Municipal hospitals must adapt their profiles, while specialized centers are being strengthened. In Potsdam, vascular surgery and orthopedics – a traditional part of the service offering – are being cut.

The hospital announced that the next steps will be further coordinated in the coming weeks. As soon as it is determined which locations will take over which services, patients and employees will be informed.

The development remains dynamic: With the entry into force of the new service groups, more hospitals in Brandenburg will review their structures. Bergmann Hospital is one of the first municipal hospitals in the state to have concretely announced job cuts in two specialist departments.