KWF: Agreements signed for merger and joint hospital
Another milestone has been reached in the merger of Frankenberg District Hospital and Korbach Municipal Hospital to form the Waldeck-Frankenberg Hospital (KWF): in June, the necessary contracts for the merger were signed and notarised.
Contracts signed
As a first step, the share purchase and transfer agreement was formalised, under which the district hospital will take over Korbach Municipal Hospital. It was signed by the managing director, Anne Bülling, the mayor, Stefan Kieweg, and the First Councillor of Korbach, Bernd Richter-Schluckebier. In a second step, the merger agreement was then formalised, through which the Korbach Municipal Hospital and the District Hospital will ultimately merge to form the Waldeck-Frankenberg Hospital. This agreement was signed by Frankenberg’s managing director, Anne Bülling; Korbach’s managing director, Sassan Pur; the district’s first deputy administrator, Karl-Friedrich Frese; and district deputy administrator Gerd Frese.
Merger registered with the Commercial Register
Immediately after both agreements had been signed and notarised, the merger of the two firms was registered withthe Commercial Register in Marburg by a notary. Registration there will then be the last and final step in the merger of the two firms. Only then will the merger be legally complete. This is expected to take a few more weeks.
Equal representation on the new supervisory boardof the Waldeck-
hospital. However, during the meeting, another important agreement was reached and signed by all parties involved – namely, the voting agreement. This sets out the district’s commitment that the town of Korbach will in future appoint three members to the supervisory board of the Waldeck-Frankenberg Hospital. The aim is to ensure that the interests of the southern and northern parts of the district are represented on an equal footing on the supervisory board of the new hospital – both now and in the future.
Co-determination and an orderly transition
“The contracts have now been formally signed and an application for entry in the Commercial Register will be submitted without delay,” said Karl-Friedrich Frese, First Deputy District Administrator of the district, at the contract signing ceremony at the district offices in Korbach. It is important to all parties involved that the merger secures local medical care in the long term and utilises the resulting synergies for the benefit of patients. “Jobs and employees’ rights will, of course, remain protected,” District Administrator Jürgen van der Horst went on to emphasise. “Binding agreements on co-determination and the orderly transition have been reached in consultation with the staff representatives.” The merger will take effect retroactively from 1 January 2026 under commercial and tax law.
A hospital with two sites
At the same time, the transformation process at the operational and organisational level of the two clinics, aimed at creating a hospital with two sites, has been ongoing since the start of the year: Through numerous consultation forums, work is underway with doctors and nursing management to implement the medical vision for the Waldeck-Frankenberg Hospital. All staff are involved in the merger process and have, for example, had the opportunity to contribute their suggestions on several occasions at events open to all employees. The goal remains the same: to become a hospital with two sites.
Modern healthcare in rural areas
A key element of the process is the tailor-made healthcare strategy, which takes into account the needs of people in the region and brings together the services at both sites under one roof. The aim is to create a strong, supra-regional service that meets the requirements of modern healthcare in rural areas.
Investments up to 2030
With support from the state’s special investment programme, extensive investments are also planned at both sites up to 2030. Plans include the refurbishment of the central A&E department in Korbach, the extension and renovation of the A&E department in Frankenberg, the refurbishment of operating theatres, and the expansion of the intensive care unit and stroke unit capacities. There are also plans to expand the neurology department with innovative medical technology for the early detection of strokes.
The state has indicated that both sites will remain designated hospitals even after the merger. The planned funding will also contribute to the modernisation of the medical infrastructure. Following the merger, both hospitals will also enter into negotiations with health insurance funds to negotiate targeted surcharges for various service areas.
Keeping an eye on the whole district
The merger of the two hospitals in Korbach and Frankenberg is an important step towards safeguarding healthcare provision in Waldeck-Frankenberg. However, according to the District Administrator and First Deputy District Administrator, the focus will not be solely on this project. “We will continue to keep an eye on non-municipally run hospitals, medical services and healthcare provision structures across the entire district, so that, together with all service providers, we can offer a high-quality and reliable service to the people of the region.”
Caption: Another milestone in the establishment of the Waldeck-Frankenberg Hospital: the necessary merger agreements were signed and notarised in June at the district administration building in Korbach. Those present included Sassan Pur, Anne Bülling, Karl-Friedrich Frese and Gerd Frese. (Photo: Waldeck-Frankenberg District)