Merger of the clinics: Greifswald takes over Karlsburg – good news for patients!

Merger of the clinics: Greifswald takes over Karlsburg – good news for patients!

The healthcare landscape in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is facing a fundamental change: today the merger of the Greifswald University Medical Center and the Karlsburg Clinic was officially approved. The Ministry of Health has approved the cooperation under antitrust law, which represents a decisive step for the two institutions. The takeover of the Karlsburg Clinic by the Greifswald University Medical Center is planned for January 1, 2026. The two houses will finally be completely merged in 2027, as reported by kma-online.de.

Toralf Giebe, the commercial director of the University Medicine, is pleased about the rapid approval and emphasizes that this brings planning security for both institutions. Prof. Wolfgang Motz, the medical director of the Karlsburg Clinic, also sees the merger as a long-term safeguard for both locations. Improvements are planned in the areas of diabetology and cardiology, all in all a measure that is seen as necessary to optimize health care, says ndr.de.

Organizational challenges

But before that happens, there are extensive organizational tasks on the agenda. IT, financial accounting and logistics must be clarified by the end of the year. Frank Rau was named as coordinator and future commercial director of the Karlsburg Clinic and describes the tasks ahead of him as a “mammoth task”. The challenge will not only lie in coordinating internal processes, but also in communicating with the approximately 550 employees who were recently informed about the merger at a company meeting.

The ministry's assessment of the merger shows that the benefits outweigh the disadvantages of reduced competition. In addition, the merger will cost 25 million euros, which will be financed through a loan. A challenge for both houses remains clarity on the open questions that still need to be clarified before the merger can be completed.

Changing clinical landscape

The merger is part of a larger trend in German healthcare. The Hospital Transformation Fund, launched as part of the hospital reform, aims to make the hospital landscape more efficient and sustainable. The fund will have an annual volume of around 100 million euros over the years 2026 to 2035. The need for a structural realignment has long been present, and the merger could serve as an example for future cooperation within the German healthcare system, as the M-V government emphasizes.

Overall, the two clinics in Greifswald and Karlsburg are facing an exciting, albeit challenging, time. The coming months will be crucial in setting the course for successful collaboration and sustainably improving healthcare in the region.