Wittstock is fighting for a medical future: millions for new MVZ!

Wittstock is fighting for a medical future: millions for new MVZ!

The situation surrounding healthcare in Wittstock remains tense. Mayor Philipp Wacker (CDU) reports that the city is prepared to invest over one million euros in the successor to the hospital. This commitment follows a meeting at the Ministry of Health in Potsdam, during which the decisive steps were taken for a planned medical care center (MVZ). This center is to be built in the former cloth factory and could be supported by the state of Brandenburg with over 20 million euros MAZ reported.

However, the project still remains uncertain. It is currently unclear whether the Neuruppin University Hospital will operate the MVZ. A concept based on a specialist medical center was well received at the round table in Wittstock, but the concrete steps for implementation are still pending. What is particularly worrying is the fact that four GP positions are currently vacant in Wittstock. Another meeting to clarify this situation is scheduled for January 26th in Potsdam, which will also be attended by health insurance companies and the Brandenburg Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KV).

Closure of the hospital and its consequences

The situation is further complicated by the impending closure of the hospital in Wittstock, which is announced for January 1, 2027. KMG, the clinical group that operates the hospital, announced during a staff meeting that the cardiology and gastroenterology departments would be relocated to the neighboring town of Pritzwalk. This step follows the unfulfilled structural requirements following the hospital reform and causes considerable concern about future local health care Medical Journal reported.

The relocation of services to Pritzwalk, which is around 24 kilometers away, could mean that important medical services are missing for Wittstock. Health Minister Britta Müller emphasizes the need to create alternative care options and avoid the closure of clinic locations as health centers. Political reactions to the announcement are relatively clear: CDU parliamentary group leader Jan Redmann calls for the state government to act quickly, while Left Party leader Sebastian Walter warns of dangers to security of supply.

Outlook for the future

Further developments will depend crucially on how the planned MVZ in Wittstock is approved and implemented. By the end of 2026 at the latest, the city must find solutions to ensure basic health care for its 14,000 residents even after the hospital is closed. So far there have also been proposals to divide two existing doctor's offices in Neuruppin (cardiology and gastroenterology) in order to use them in Wittstock, but District Administrator Ralf Reinhardt (SPD) rejects this idea. He contacted Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (SPD) to point out the overload of the cardiological statutory health insurance doctor's office in Neuruppin and the lack of capacity.

The coming weeks will be crucial. With the further meeting in Potsdam on January 26th, another step in the right direction could be taken to address the unoccupied GP seats and the looming medical gap in Wittstock. The city faces the challenge of meeting high standards of healthcare while responding to the needs of its citizens.