Investment in German hospitals lagging badly
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
In spite of a need for increased investment, German hospitals are getting less from the federal states. So say the findings of the latest Krankenhaus-Barometers - an annual survey by the German hospitals institute (DKI). The federal states are allocating a lower share of their investment to hospitals (11.3% in 2004, against 15.3% in 2002), with the result that medical facilities, including buildings and capital goods, are ageing and often not being replaced in the uncertain climate. German hospitals federation (DKG) president Dr Rudolf Kosters, says the slow pace of investment poses a threat to Germany's reputation as a leading care provider and its ability to offer high quality, state-of-the-art care for all its citizens.