Structure, financing, and governance in hospitals are in transition
With the Hospital Care Improvement Act (KHVVG), the German hospital sector is facing the most profound structural change since the introduction of the DRG system. For the first time, structure, financing, and service offerings are being reorganized simultaneously. For hospitals, the message is clear: the previous status quo is no longer sustainable. neither medically, organizationally, nor economically.
The KHVVG links binding structural requirements with new financial management instruments. Service groups, funding for capacity maintenance, and stricter quality requirements have a direct impact on the strategic orientation of each hospital. At the same time, the Transformation Fund opens up significant investment opportunities. but only for hospitals with a clear vision and coherent, robust transformation concepts.
It is therefore clear: the KHVVG is not just a legislative or funding issue. It is a strategic decision-making program. Hospitals now need to determine which role they want to play in the regional care system, which services they can sustainably provide, and which infrastructural, digital, and organizational prerequisites are required. These decisions have long-term effects – often spanning decades – while also impacting annual results and liquidity in the short term.
Strategic realignment: Role, portfolio, and positioning
A key success factor is the close integration of strategy, organization, and IT. New care models, partnerships, telemedicine networks, and the targeted use of artificial intelligence are no longer optional innovations – they are becoming integral components of the future hospital landscape. The Transformation Fund can finance these developments, but it requires a consistent architecture, prioritized measures, and a realistic implementation logic.
Successful transformation: Integrating IT, digitalization, and AI
The KHVVG should therefore not be viewed in isolation from a legal or financial perspective, but as a comprehensive transformation program. It highlights the concrete challenges hospitals face, how strategic decisions can be made, and the role that IT infrastructure, digitalization, AI, and networking play in successful implementation.
In this way, it lays the foundation for well-informed decisions—and for a transformation that is not only formally compliant but also sustainably effective.
