In two weeks’ time, Germany’s hospital sector will gather in Düsseldorf to discuss a “fresh start” in hospital policy. The Association of Hospital Directors of Germany (VKD) will once again play a central role at the 48th German Hospital Congress (Deutscher Krankenhaustag), held from 17–20 November 2025 in conjunction with MEDICA, the world’s largest medical trade fair.
The VKD will host its own stand at Hall 10, Stand D12, conveniently located near the main congress venues. The dates are already firmly marked in the calendars of many VKD members.
A Courageous Call for Reform
The congress will take place under the optimistic and forward-looking theme: “Neustart Krankenhauspolitik – Mut zur Veränderung” (“A Fresh Start for Hospital Policy – The Courage to Change”). Germany’s Federal Health Minister Nina Warken and North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister of Health Karl-Josef Laumann are expected to deliver keynote addresses at the opening ceremony, setting the stage for intense discussions around the newly approved Hospital Reform Adjustment Act (Krankenhausreformanpassungsgesetz – KHAG).
Several key demands from the hospital community remain unfulfilled. Among them, the suspension—rather than mere postponement—of the controversial “Vorhaltefinanzierung” (standby capacity funding) in its current, overly bureaucratic form as defined in the Klinik-Hilfeverwaltungsvereinfachungsgesetz (KHVVG). The KHAG also fails to address the contentious Hybrid-DRGs, which risk forcing an outpatient shift of hospital services, threatening revenues and the stability of hospital care delivery.
Whether further “practicable” adjustments will be achieved during the parliamentary process remains uncertain. This will undoubtedly be a focal topic in the congress’s opening debate—especially following Minister Warken’s swift proposal of a €1.8 billion savings contribution to be made by hospitals to stabilise statutory health insurance funds, a measure already approved by the federal cabinet.
VKD Stand: A Hub for Dialogue and Exchange
The VKD’s stand at MEDICA will once again serve as a meeting place for association members, partner organisations, and industry representatives exhibiting at the fair. VKD Managing Director Dr Jens-Uwe Schreck, along with honorary member Peter Förster and Christine Förster, will welcome visitors seeking information about the VKD’s policy positions, partnerships, member services, and publications such as the VKD Practice Reports 2025 (VKD-Praxisberichte 2025).
“The integration of the German Hospital Congress within MEDICA proved very effective last year,” said Dr Schreck. “Shorter distances save time for visitors and promote valuable discussions among colleagues, partners,and exhibitors. Moreover, our stand offers a welcome opportunity to take a brief coffee break amid the busy conference and exhibition atmosphere.”
Programme Focus: Preparedness and Resilience
As a shareholder of the German Hospital Congress Company (Gesellschaft Deutscher Krankenhaustag – GDK), the VKD contributes substantially to the programme with practice-oriented sessions and expert discussions.
VKD President Dirk Köcher will outline the association's position on the implementation of the hospital reform and the KHAG during both the GDK press conference and the congress opening session. On the second conference day, the VKD will host a dedicated session on crisis preparedness, addressing the question: “How resilient are hospitals in managing disasters?” Talks will explore legal resilience planning, crisis management in practice, preparedness for armed conflict scenarios,and responses to cyberattacks;an increasingly frequent threat to healthcare institutions. The session will be moderated by Andreas Tyzak, VKD press spokesperson and long-standing volunteer in disaster protection.
Registration and Access
Free pre-registration for both the German Hospital Congress and MEDICA 2025 is still open via the VKD website at https://eveeno.com/deutscher-krankenhaustag. Registered participants will receive personal voucher codes for complimentary day tickets, valid for entry to both events.
Original Press Release: This is a translated version of the original German press release. To view the original text, Click Here (German).
Image Credit: VKD
