Deutschen Krankenhausgesellschaft

Deutschen Krankenhausgesellschaft
Name	Deutschen Krankenhausgesellschaft
Native name	Deutschen Krankenhausgesellschaft
Formation	1947
Type	Interessenverband
Headquarters	Berlin
Location	Deutschland
Region served	Deutschland
Leader title	Präsident
Leader name	Klaus Reinhardt

Deutschen Krankenhausgesellschaft is the central association representing hospitals in Germany, coordinating policy, finance and standards for inpatient care across federal and state levels. It acts as a negotiation partner with payers such as Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, consults with legislative bodies like the Bundestag and administrative agencies including the Bundesministerium für Gesundheit, and interfaces with professional organizations, regulatory bodies and patient groups. As a peak association, it shapes debates on reimbursement systems, quality assurance and hospital planning while engaging in public communication and sector research.

Geschichte

The association emerged in the post‑war period amid reconstruction debates involving the Allied-occupied Germany administration, the Federal Republic of Germany founding institutions and regional health actors such as the Landeskrankenhausverbände. Early activities intersected with legislation like the Krankenhausfinanzierungsgesetz and reforms under chancellors including Konrad Adenauer and Willy Brandt. Throughout the 1970s and 1990s the association responded to reforms from the Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung system and changes in hospital remuneration introduced by the Diagnosis Related Groups pilots and the eventual nationwide DRG introduction influenced by international models from United States and Australia. It adapted to reunification issues after German reunification and to EU regulatory frameworks such as rulings by the European Court of Justice that affected cross‑border care.

Struktur und Organisation

The association is organized as a federation of regional and sectoral bodies with governance organs including a Presidium, Executive Board and committees mirroring clinical and administrative specialties represented by associations such as the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Innere Medizin, Bundesärztekammer, Deutscher Pflegerat and hospital owner groups like the Kirchliche Einrichtungen and private chains exemplified by Asklepios Kliniken. Its headquarters in Berlin coordinates with state offices in the Länder and specialist task forces on topics including Notfallversorgung, Intensive Care Medicine and Geriatric Medicine. Professional staff include health economists, legal counsel and policy analysts who liaise with entities such as the Institut für Qualitätssicherung and research institutes like the Robert Koch-Institut and the Institut für das Entgeltsystem im Krankenhaus.

Aufgaben und Tätigkeitsbereiche

Core tasks encompass collective bargaining with payers such as the AOK and Barmer, setting sector standards in cooperation with the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut and the Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte, and advising on infrastructure planning linked to the Bundesgerichtshof jurisprudence and state hospital plans (Landeskrankenhausplan). It operates on quality indicators, certification schemes with partners like Deutsche Gesellschaft für Qualität and engages in health services research alongside the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and university clinics including Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. The association provides guidance on digitization initiatives with stakeholders such as gematik and on patient safety aligning with the WHO frameworks and the Deutsche Stiftung Patientenschutz.

Interessenvertretung und Politikberatung

As a lobby and advisory body it prepares position papers for the Bundesministerium der Justiz and for committees of the Bundestag such as the Health Committee, participates in hearings alongside unions like ver.di and employer associations such as the Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände, and engages with payers represented by the Spitzenverband Bund der Krankenkassen. It issues expert opinions used by advisory councils like the Sachverständigenrat zur Begutachtung der Entwicklung im Gesundheitswesen and interacts with international organizations including the OECD and the European Commission on cross‑border healthcare policy.

Mitgliedschaft und Finanzierung

Membership comprises regional hospital federations, public municipal hospitals such as those in Köln, private hospital providers headquartered in cities like Hamburg and religious hospital networks active in dioceses of Bonn and München. Financing derives from membership fees, negotiated service fees with statutory health insurers, project grants from institutions like the Bundesministerium für Gesundheit and contracted research funded by foundations including the Robert Bosch Stiftung and the Stiftung Deutsche Krebshilfe. The association maintains transparency reports in response to requirements from entities such as the Bundesrechnungshof.

Kooperationen und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit

It cooperates with clinical societies including the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Chirurgie, patient organizations like Deutsche Krebsgesellschaft, academic centers such as Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, and international networks exemplified by the World Health Organization collaborations. The association organizes congresses, issues press releases to outlets such as Deutsche Presse-Agentur and engages with media like Der Spiegel and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung while maintaining research partnerships with institutions including the Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin.

Kritik und Kontroversen

Critics from unions like ver.di and watchdogs such as Transparency International Deutschland have challenged positions on staffing ratios, privatization trends tied to companies like Rheinland Kliniken and on negotiation stances during disputes with insurers including Techniker Krankenkasse. Debates have involved legal challenges referencing the Bundesverfassungsgericht on allocation rules and controversies over hospital closures impacting rural regions like Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Sachsen-Anhalt. Academic commentators from universities including Universität Bielefeld and advocacy groups such as Ärzte gegen Freiatmungen have scrutinized the association’s role in shaping DRG‑based remuneration and incentives affecting care pathways.

Category:Health care in Germany