Emergency Care Procedures for Patients in Rheinberg: Insights Revealed
Title: Quick Facts: "The Daily GL Run-Down"
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Sign Up for Our NewsletterThree emergency departments previously serviced Bergisch Gladbach, but now we're down to two - the Evangelical Hospital and the Vinzenz Pallotti Hospital, with the addition of another at the Marien-Krankenhaus, focusing on neuro emergencies. The reshuffling of emergency services doesn't end there; Klinikum Leverkusen will now handle emergencies for Schildgen and Odenthal, as Bergisch Gladbach can no longer provide it. Discover more about these changes and their implications for patients below.
The Lowdown on the Changes
The Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis is the emergency service provider for the region, and they've redrawn the so-called "emergency care areas." These zones determine how patients are cared for when hospitals are overloaded. Klinikum Leverkusen has joined the roster as a mandatory provider, per the Kreis announcement. Essentially, no matter how crowded a specific emergency department might be, they're still obligated to provide care.
Prior to this change, the Marien-Krankenhaus would have been the emergency care area for Odenthal and Schildgen, but now it's Klinikum Leverkusen.
The origins of this shift stem from reorganization by GFO Kliniken Rhein-Berg, which operate the Marien-Krankenhaus and the Vinzenz Pallotti Hospital:
Since March 15, the general emergency department at the Marien-Krankenhaus has been eliminated. In its place, a neurological emergency outpatient clinic was established, tackling conditions like strokes exclusively.
The Central Emergency Department at the Evangelical Hospital remains in action. It has undergone recent streamlining and expansion to address the increasing patient count.
Impact on Patients
According to the Kreis administration, the revised emergency care allocations don't affect patients. This reorganization concerns only the emergency services, not the wider patient population. In case of system overload, patients still have access to specific hospitals for treatment, but only when no specialized care is necessary.
Insights on the Topic
In general, emergency service providers prioritize bringing patients to the "most suitable" hospital, rather than the nearest one. Rescue teams or emergency medical personnel will determine the best location for treatment based on the situation. For example, a Rösrath resident with a heart attack wouldn't be admitted to the Vinzenz Pallotti Hospital in Bensberg, but a more specialized facility like the Evangelical Hospital in Bergisch Gladbach or Krankenhaus Köln-Merheim instead, as per the Kreis administration.
Where to Go for Emergencies in Bergisch Gladbach?
Until recently, both the Evangelical Hospital and the Marien-Krankenhaus housed Central Emergency Departments. The one at the Evangelical Hospital remains operational and has been significantly staffed and structurally expanded over the past few months to manage the growing patient influx.
As for the Central Emergency Department at the Marien-Krankenhaus, it has been transformed into a neurological emergency department geared towards suspected stroke cases. The VPH in Bensberg retains its Central Emergency Department for all other emergencies. Learn more about the changes at the two GFO facilities in previous reports.
More Insights
Dr. Barbara Florange, GFO CEO, explains, "The hospital planning in Bergisch Gladbach is part of the statewide healthcare reform in North Rhine-Westphalia, effective from April 2025." However, Florange assures that the cooperation between the MKH, VPH, and EVK hospitals ensures comprehensive services, encompassing all emergency cases.
She acknowledges that the ongoing restructuring period causes more uncertainty than clarity for patients and their families. Nevertheless, Florange insists that the collaboration between the hospitals ensures a full spectrum of services, including emergency care.
The Emergency Practice
The emergency practice of the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians remains at the MKH. Patients can visit there for urgent but non-critical health issues outside regular office hours – evenings, weekends, or holidays.
Such emergency practices, common in many urban areas, are usually located within or adjacent to a hospital that can treat or admit patients as needed. According to EVK, negotiations with North Rhine-West Safety about a relocation to EVK are nearing completion.
- With the establishment of a neurological emergency outpatient clinic at the Marien-Krankenhaus and the ongoing expansion of the Central Emergency Department at the Evangelical Hospital, science and health-and-wellness developments in the city have a significant impact on medical-conditions management during emergencies.
- In light of the establishment of a neurological emergency outpatient clinic at the Marien-Krankenhaus and the ongoing expansion of the Central Emergency Department at the Evangelical Hospital, patients in the region can expect improved care for various medical-conditions, contributing to the overall advancement of health-and-wellness and medical-conditions research in the field of emergencies.
