Kreiskliniken Dillingen-Wertingen gGmbH to restructure itself under protective shield proceedings

Kreiskliniken Dillingen-Wertingen gGmbH has initiated protective shield proceedings to position itself for the future with its hospitals at two locations. The company, represented by management, filed the relevant application. The Local Court of Nördlingen assented to this application and ordered provisional debtor-in-possession proceedings on 19 March 2025. The aim is to restructure the non-profit company with a view to stabilising its financial situation and ensuring sustainable medical care services in the region.

Protective shield proceedings with debtor-in-possession management are in-court restructuring proceedings to rescue and rehabilitate financially distressed companies. Management remains in charge and guides the company concerned through the proceedings itself with support from external experts. Restructuring expert Dr Maximilian Pluta from PLUTA Rechtsanwalts GmbH has been appointed chief restructuring officer and will implement the restructuring process together with managing director Ms Sonja Greschner. The Local Court of Nördlingen has appointed Professor Dr Martin Hörmann from law firm Anchor Rechtsanwälte as provisional insolvency monitor. His role will be to oversee the proceedings in the interests of creditors.

On 14 March 2025, the Dillingen an der Donau district assembly resolved to implement the 2025 medical concept. The district, in its capacity as operator of Kreiskliniken Dillingen-Wertingen gGmbH, is aiming to find a sustainable solution for the company at its two locations (Dillingen and Wertingen) during the proceedings. This will involve restructuring the company and providing the local population with excellent medical care on a long-term basis in keeping with the present target structure and the planned northern Swabian care network.

The Dillingen an der Donau and Donau-Ries districts are working together on the provision of future health services in northern Swabia. On 14 March 2025, the district assembly unanimously approved the concept for establishing the strategic cooperation for a northern Swabian care network. By taking this approach, both districts are responding to the Hospital Care Improvement Act (KHVVG) adopted in 2024 by the Parliament and Federal Council of Germany. This legislation poses major challenges for the hospital sector while also presenting new opportunities for sustainable, effective healthcare. Across the two districts, the intention is to move as swiftly as possible to provide close-to-home emergency and primary care services that are in line with the new legal requirements.

Necessary step

Kreiskliniken Dillingen-Wertingen gGmbH employs over 900 people. Their salaries are guaranteed for a period of three months thanks to specific substitute benefits provided under German insolvency law. Management has informed the employees about the current situation.

“We are still there for the people in the Dillingen district. Both of our hospitals remain operational and all medical services are being provided as usual. We firmly believe that this is a necessary and correct step in order to preserve Kreiskliniken Dillingen-Wertingen gGmbH as a robust healthcare provider for the region embedded with others within a care network and to strengthen it in the long term,” said Ms Sonja Greschner, managing director of Kreiskliniken Dillingen-Wertingen gGmbH. The future intention is to foster even greater integration between the company’s two hospitals in Dillingen and Wertingen, with their core medical areas complementing each other. Kreiskliniken Dillingen-Wertingen gGmbH will be able to ensure optimal medical care for the local population while having the structures needed to operate in a sustainable way.

The hospital in Dillingen will in future have the profile of a primary care provider covering emergency medicine, internal medicine, surgery, gynaecology & obstetrics and intensive care. The Wertingen hospital will focus on general healthcare and, with a view to demographic change, will implement an innovative, forward-looking model specialising in the care of older people through the integration of inpatient, rehabilitative and outpatient services. The Centre for Geriatric Medicine offering general internal medicine and geriatrics services will be expanded as needed to include an outpatient clinic as well as geriatric rehabilitation, mobile rehabilitation, and short-term and transitional care offerings.

A medical contact point is to be created, ideally jointly via Medizinisches Versorgungszentrum DLG MVZ gGmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kreiskliniken Dillingen-Wertingen, and with the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, to cover the actual need for treatment of less serious, non-life-threatening emergencies, such as severe pain, bruising and broken bones. The establishment of a specialist medical centre will be actively promoted in parallel to this.

“We will work out a viable solution over the coming months. We must ensure the company is positioned to operate successfully in the long term. That is our goal. We will preserve both locations,” said chief restructuring officer Dr Maximilian Pluta. A PLUTA restructuring team will be supporting the company over the coming months. In addition to Dr Maximilian Pluta, the team is comprised of business management expert Mr Ludwig Stern, attorneys Mr Florian Zistler, Mr Markus Fünning, Mr Daniel Barth and Mr Peter Roeger and business lawyers Mr Dennis Stroh and Ms Celine Plaschke.

Provisional insolvency monitor Professor Dr Martin Hörmann from law firm Anchor Rechtsanwälte said, “The debtor-in-possession proceedings will ensure the company has a reliable basis for planning and that creditors’ interests are taken into account. I will support the continuation and restructuring over the coming months in the interests of creditors.”