- The Zurich Children’s Hospital and the Wetzikon Hospital are in financial difficulties.
- The Zurich Health Directorate has therefore decided to grant the children’s hospital a million-dollar loan and subsidies.
- The Wetzikon Hospital, on the other hand, comes away empty-handed.
The canton’s existing loan for the Zurich Children’s Hospital will be increased by 100 million to 250 million francs, as Health Director Natalie Rickli (SVP) told the media on Thursday. In addition, there are subsidies amounting to 35 million francs for the current year.
The children’s hospital has an acute liquidity bottleneck. If the canton did not step into the breach, solvency would no longer be guaranteed from the middle of the year. The assets of the Eleonoren Foundation, which runs the hospital, have now been completely used up.
761 million francs for the new building
The main reason for the financial hole is the new building by the star architects Herzog & de Meuron, for which the costs have risen to 761 million francs. The building is scheduled to be occupied in the fall. However, the income from hospital operations can no longer finance the completion by then.
Legend: The new building of the Zurich Children’s Hospital will open in November and was significantly more expensive than planned. Visualization: Children’s Hospital Zurich / Herzog and De Meuron
Leaving Kispi to its fate and letting it slide into bankruptcy was out of the question for the health department. “The Kispi is indispensable for maintaining pediatric medicine,” says Rickli. “However, we don’t want to get into a situation like this again. We impose requirements on the hospital.”
The canton expects the loan to be repaid in 2028. At the same time, the causes of the financial difficulties should also be examined. An investigation should clarify whether the hospital still has the correct structure today. The Eleonoren Foundation has already announced that it will examine collaborations with the University Hospital.
“A place on the hospital list is not a state guarantee”
However, the health department had bad news for the Wetzikon Hospital: it does not receive any money. The hospital had submitted an application for a loan of 180 million francs. The hospital had previously tried unsuccessfully to raise the money on the capital market.
Hospital must submit business plan
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The Wetzikon city council expressed “deep concern” about the financial situation of the Wetzikon hospital. In a statement, he regretted the canton’s negative attitude, but now sees the hospital’s board of directors as having a duty to maintain operations and present a viable business plan.
The city can “in principle imagine” financial support for the hospital. But this requires a political process and ultimately a referendum. The hospital has not yet submitted a request for financial support.
The government council concluded that Wetzikon Hospital is not considered “indispensable”. “A place on the hospital list is not a state guarantee,” said Rickli. Neither the new building nor the planned renovations are absolutely necessary for hospital care for the Zurich population. “Actually, the Zurich Oberland only needs one hospital for inpatient treatment.” If Wetzikon Hospital were to be closed, patients could move to Uster Hospital – the second hospital in the Zurich Oberland.
“A punch in the stomach”
The fact that the government council considers the Wetzikon hospital to be dispensable disappoints Jörg Kühn, chairman of the hospital’s board of directors: “This statement is a punch in the stomach.” However, Kühn emphasizes that the operation of the hospital will continue to be guaranteed, as will the wage payments of the 900 employees.
Legend: The Wetzikon Hospital has overextended itself financially. GZO Hospital Wetzikon
The Health Directorate’s no concerns a loan of 170 million francs that the hospital took out ten years ago. This must be paid back by June 12th. Now the hospital wants to gain time to raise the necessary money, says Jörg Kühn. One possible option would be a debt moratorium to avert bankruptcy. “We are also counting on the support of the twelve sponsoring communities. We feel great encouragement from them.”
2024-04-04 10:35:54
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