- The private hospital group Swiss Medical Network is taking over the Zofingen Hospital, which belongs to the Kantonsspital Aarau AG.
- It has been unclear for months what the future of the Aargau Regional Hospital looks like because it is in the red and investments in the double-digit million range are needed.
- According to the Swiss Medical Network, nothing will change for employees. No job cuts are planned.
Uncertainty and fear have characterized the working atmosphere at Zofingen Hospital in recent months. Many employees have since resigned. The reason: The Aargau government and the leadership of the Aarau Cantonal Hospital have repeatedly emphasized that things cannot continue like this. Because the hospital is in the red and is in need of renovation. Investments running into millions would be necessary.
The “KSA” will no longer be located above the Zofingen Hospital in the future.
SRF/Stefan Ulrich
That’s why the rumor mill was churning. Will the hospital close and be converted into a health center? On Thursday, the Aarau Cantonal Hospital informed its approximately 700 employees about their future and thus about the sale of the Zofingen Hospital to the Swiss Medical Network.
Who is behind the Swiss Medical Network?
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The Swiss Medical Network SMN operates over 20 clinics, hospitals and around 60 medical centers in Switzerland. This makes it the second largest private clinic group in Switzerland, which claims to employ over 2,300 doctors.
The SMN belongs to the Aevis Victoria group. This is a listed investment company that focuses, among other things, on investments in the healthcare and hotel industries.
The CEO of the Aarau Cantonal Hospital, Markus Meier, speaks of a dream solution. Not only will the region’s hospital be preserved; The KSA also takes on the function of a reference hospital for the Zofingen Hospital. This means that complex cases will be handled there in the future.
New owners promise investments
The purchase price for the Zofingen Hospital is 50 million francs. In addition, the hospital has debts of 70 million francs. The Swiss Medical Network also wants to invest 15 to 20 million francs over the next five years. That’s a fair deal, says Markus Meier.
It is the beginning of an adventure for us.
Raymond Loretan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Swiss Medical Network, looks positively to the future: “It is a very big day for us and the beginning of an adventure.”
Raymond Loretan is confident about Zofingen Hospital.
Keystone/JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BOTT
We already have experience with the privatization of a public hospital. He is referring to the investment in the Berner Jura Hospital, where SMN now owns the majority of the shares.
Zofingen Hospital is not financially viable
The Aargau government is also satisfied with the sale. The head of health, Jean-Pierre Gallati, emphasizes that although the Zofingen hospital is important for the region, it is not systemically relevant for the entire canton. Zofingen Hospital has been integrated into the KSA since 2011. “During this time, the hospital was not able to be financially self-sustaining.”
The problem was not with the business itself – it could be run more or less profitably. However, the Zofingen Hospital has debts amounting to 70 million francs and the interest resulted in too great a financial burden.
The purchase fits into the strategy of Swiss Medical Network
The private clinic group is expanding, confirms health economist Heinz Locher. The company from French-speaking Switzerland has so far only had a poor presence in the Swiss Plateau. After the takeover of the private clinic Villa im Park in Rothrist AG, the location in Zofingen fits.
“I consider the Swiss Medical Network to be reputable,” Locher continues. “They often find creative and surprising solutions to make money.” He cites the Berner Jura Hospital as an example, where SMN brought the health insurance company Visana on board in order to better utilize synergies. At the beginning of the year, the canton of Bern spoke of a “paradigm change in the health system.”
