In line with the Landkreistag Baden-Württemberg, District Administrator Allgaier is calling for the federal government to create the financial conditions for a successful reform process with a so-called preliminary law and to increase hospital remuneration by at least four percent in order to mitigate the inflation of recent years and the cost increases in wage costs. There is also an urgent need to reverse the cuts to the fixed cost regulation and provide reliable funding for future cost increases. The state must noticeably increase its investment funding: Allgaier is convinced that it is urgently necessary to increase individual hospital funding by at least 250 million euros and flat-rate funding, which has only been marginally increased in almost 20 years, by 100 million euros. Finally, the head of the district administration considers an emergency aid programme with a minimum volume of 300 million euros to be indispensable in order to stabilize hospitals financially.
District Administrator Allgaier visits the "plaster kitchen" and orthopaedic workshop at OKM, among other things
During his visit to OKM, a state-of-the-art competence center for orthopaedics and spinal cord injuries in the district, the District Administrator and Chairman of the Supervisory Board was given a tour of the clinic by Olaf Sporys, Managing Director of OKM, and Rüdiger Loy, Managing Director of Ortema, a subsidiary of OKM for orthopaedic technology. In addition to current information about the site and the upcoming construction measures, such as the renovation of the central operating theater, conversion and renovation of the outpatient area and further development of the residential area, District Administrator Allgaier was introduced to various areas: In the bandaging workshop, an employee showed District Administrator Allgaier how a corset is individually sewn and fitted for a patient. In the orthopaedic workshop, the head of the district administration was given an insight into the variety of different types of prostheses, which now have to be individually adjusted for the patient by the orthopaedic technician using a laptop. In the "plaster kitchen", which was also visited, the blanks for orthoses are made from plaster casts. However, Ortema now mostly uses a 3D scan, which is much more comfortable for the patient.
Allgaier then visited the ward for conservative treatment and multimodal pain therapy, where a wide range of therapy options such as medical equipment training, individual treatments and group therapy are available to inpatients directly docked to the city. In the outpatient surgery center, the district administrator was able to take a look from the patient changing room into the holding area, where the patient is prepared and receives the first visit after the operation. With over 10,000 operations a year, the OKM is the largest specialist orthopaedic clinic in southern Germany. Finally, Allgaier visited the "Medical Fitness and Outpatient Rehabilitation" areas with their numerous training machines and extensive training options. In addition to strength and mobility, the so-called scillcourt also trains the brain in a targeted manner, creating new pathways in the brain that make people less susceptible to stress, reduce the risk of dementia in senior citizens, keep working people productive and help athletes avoid injuries. The scillcourt combines cardiovascular, muscle and brain training and promotes cognitive and motor skills. With the skillcourt, Medical Fitness of the OKM offers a completely new, playful form of training that is unique in the district and is suitable for rehab athletes as well as competitive or amateur athletes.
Renovation measures are planned at the RKH hospital in Bietigheim-Vaihingen
A few days later, Allgaier then visited the RKH hospital in Bietigheim-Vaihingen. Here, medical directors, doctors and nursing managers showed him the Central Emergency Department, Ward 0A, Ward 1B Geriatrics, the Outpatient Surgery Center and the delivery room. The plan is to renovate the ageing building fabric of the A section in the coming years. Due to the statics and existing electrical and water installations, refurbishment is necessary starting from the bottom and finishing on the 5th floor. The space requirements and specifications for the refurbishment of the first two wards 0.A and 1.A are currently being compiled so that the project basics are complete when planning begins and planning can start immediately. The refurbishment of the first two wards is scheduled for 2025. Further measures are currently being planned. However, plans for the extension and new building at the Bietigheim hospital - such as the planned extension for the wards, the conversion of the central emergency department and radiology department on one level and the construction of a helicopter pad on the roof of the new building - are still on hold. The Supervisory Board of RKH Kliniken Ludwigsburg-Bietigheim put the plans on hold in October 2023 due to uncertainty about the effects of the hospital reform.
