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The merger aims to strengthen medical care and facilitate employee recruitment
merger of Klinikum Darmstadt GmbH and Agaplesion Elisabethenstift gGmbH on Wednesday (September 10) . The aim is to secure and expand medical care in Darmstadt in the long term.
As a first step, both partners will each contribute 60 percent of their shares to the new holding company (gGmbH). The holding company will then acquire the remaining shares. The new structure is scheduled to launch on January 1, 2026 .
Financial framework
The city council also decided to reduce the hospital's debt: €20 million in operating loans will be written off by the city, and the city will also assume a €50 million annuity loan from WIBank. The initial capital of the new holding company amounts to €250,000, supplemented by €500,000 in liquid assets. In addition, both partners will each provide their respective hospitals with €10 million in liquidity.
Division of tasks between the houses
- The Darmstadt hospital will remain a maximum care provider and will in future take over, among other things, the central emergency room.
- The Elisabethenstift focuses on psychosomatic medicine, psychiatry, dermatology, ophthalmology, geriatrics, palliative medicine and outpatient surgery.
Quote from the city's leadership
Mayor Hanno Benz and City Treasurer André Schellenberg emphasize:
“The partners aim to significantly improve the quality of medical care in Darmstadt. The joint corporate culture will be based on the cultural identity and specific strengths of both partners. Together, the challenge of employee retention and recruitment can also be better addressed.”
Impact on employees
Jobs are to be secured: The hospital and the Elisabethenstift will refrain from layoffs related to the merger for five years. In the long term, an alignment of working conditions is planned – based on the collective agreement for the public sector (TVöD) and the tariffs of the Marburger Bund (German Association of Salaried Physicians).
Next Steps
The merger will be discussed by the main and finance committee on September 18th and by the city council on September 25th . Funding of 92 million euros has been requested, and a positive decision is expected.
(Darmstadt - Red/PSD/Stip)
