After the “Ernst von Bergmann” clinic, another health care company from Potsdam is suing against the financial rules of the Brandenburg Ministry of Social Affairs. It is about the so-called health campus Potsdam based in Hermannswerder, a joint training center of the Hoffbauer Foundation, the Potsdam Bergmann Clinic and the Evangelical Deaconess House Berlin Teltow Lehnin. “Training in the entire range of health professions” is promised, around 900 places for young people are at stake.
However, the money that the state pays for this is far from enough. At least that’s what managing director Frank Hohn, also head of the Hoffbauer Foundation, said to the PNN on request. He has therefore filed a lawsuit with the Higher Administrative Court (OVG) Berlin-Brandenburg.
Health insurance companies and the state would share the financing, with the Ministry of Health covering all the “hardware” in the form of flat rates, as Hohn calls it. This included table, chairs, computer, but also building costs. For this, the Ministry enough 200 euros per student and year. But at least seven times that amount is needed, according to Hohn – i.e. 1400 euros. “We now want to have that legally checked.”
The Ministry of Health, led by Ursula Nonnemacher (Greens), is keeping a low profile on the process. Spokesman Dominik Lenz asked for understanding “that we cannot comment on ongoing proceedings”.
It was already known at the end of last year that the municipal Bergmann-Klinik was also suing against the financing rules of the Ministry of Health – a piquant mixed situation, because representatives of the public sector are going to court against each other. For years, the large Potsdam hospital had already criticized the fact that it received too few grants from the state for its investments. With the court proceedings, the clinic is opposing the “Regulation on the determination of the investment flat rates for hospitals”, which was amended in autumn 2021. Here, too, both sides had kept silent about the exact content of the lawsuit.
Dates for this procedure and also the lawsuit of the Hoffbauer Foundation have not yet become public. However, experience has shown that such processes at the Higher Administrative Court usually take more than a year before a hearing is held.
