The future of medicine: Marburg's clinic relies on digitization and cooperation

The future of medicine: Marburg's clinic relies on digitization and cooperation

The New Year's reception of the University Hospital Gießen and Marburg (UKGM) took place on January 31, 2025 in the Marburg University Hospital. Numerous representatives from health and university policy took part in this event. The chairman of the UKGM management, Dr. Gunther Weiß, expressed optimistic expectations about possible improvements in the global situation in the coming years. He named current challenges such as migration, hospital reforms and economic recession as central topics that need to be mastered. In particular, the hospital reform, which was initiated by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, is regarded by many as stressful for the already tense financial situation in the clinics.

dr. Sylvia Heinis, the commercial manager of the UKGM, reported on the significant changes that were carried out in the clinic last year. She set the goal for 2025, performance and growth of the clinic at the 2019 state of 2019, before Corona pandemic. Professor Michael Hertl, the new medical dean, emphasized the need to strengthen the cooperation between university medicine, university clinic and general health care, and pointed out acute young problems in the doctor and nursing profession that could endanger future health care.

financing strategies and investments

In the changing hospital landscape, Professor Tobias Kaltenbach, CEO of Rhön, found that only a few clinics, including the UKGM, can operate economically. In view of these challenges, the future agreement of Angela Dorn, which ensures the UKGM 500 million euros for investments, is evaluated as an important step. Rhön plans to provide 300 million euros from its own budget for investment projects. These investments are urgently required to ensure the quality of patient care.

digital future in medicine

Another focus of the New Year's reception was digitization in healthcare. Professor Sebastian Kuhn, head of the new Digitization Institute in Medicine, significantly shapes the discussion about the digital future. He emphasizes the introduction of a data-based electronic patient file as well as AI-based diagnoses and treatments as crucial elements for the future development of medical care. Kuhn demands that doctors have to be as competent when dealing with these digital tools as with the conventional instruments of medicine.