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RHÖN-KLINIKUM Aktiengesellschaft: RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG Proves to be Reliable Regarding Challenges in COVID-19 Pandemic - Seite 3

The Board of Management of RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG takes a critical view, however, of the current draft of the "regulation on further measures to safeguard the economic viability of hospitals" (Verordnung zur Regelung weiterer Maßnahmen zur wirtschaftlichen Sicherung der Krankenhäuser) from the Federal Ministry of Health. "We consider this to be an affront in view of the performance by all clinics during the pandemic. The Federal Ministry of Health has not only disappointed the justified expectations of hospitals with regard to measures ensuring adequate medical care, but it has also dealt a considerable blow to hospitals continuing to place their trust in German politics," Dr. Höftberger stated. "For years our staff have endured regulations and increasing bureaucratisation and they have most recently been on the front line in managing the pandemic. We have thus far always relied on the promises given by the central government to ensure the provision of healthcare."

Although the current draft of the regulation foresees further compensation payments for hospitals, these are based on the revenue structures of the pre-corona year 2019. While hospitals' revenues for 2020 therefore remain significantly below those of financial year 2019 and the increase in costs that has occurred in the meantime is not taken into account, it is intended for repayments to be made in some cases. Yet there is no compensation for many sources of revenue which have been lost due to the pandemic, such as outpatient revenues, for example.

Hospitals are therefore forced to compensate for lost revenues by drastically cutting costs. "It is unacceptable that hospitals are compelled by the inadequate compensation payments from the central government even to consider staff-reducing measures, such as short-time work (Kurzarbeit) and expiring fixed-term contracts, for example, and that of all times at the height of the pandemic. It is utterly ridiculous in view of the massive shortage of skilled workers", Dr Höftberger stated.

Applying deductions of 5 % which are currently being discussed compared to the pre-corona year 2019 to the compensation mechanisms which are available for the entire year in 2021 and also deducting other reimbursements is not only unacceptable. It also threatens the existence of many hospitals in Germany. "The urgently required planning security for guaranteeing medical care is thus being thwarted contrary to the promises made. It is even being suggested that hospitals have lined their own pockets during the pandemic. The absurdity of such statements becomes clear in our net consolidated profit of approx. Euro 2.5 million in 2020 with the income in connection with the COVID-19 legislation in the amount of approx. Euro 94 million included in this figure on the balance sheet. The impression inevitably arises that the pandemic is being used for cold shakeouts of the hospital industry. This is neither medically nor morally justifiable," Dr Höftberger stated.