The Potaschberg Medical Centre, equipped with MRI and scanner facilities, operates under a convention with the Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL). While mostly advantageous, the agreement does present some challenges to the facility in eastern Luxembourg.
The four founding doctors of the Potaschberg Medical Centre have created a comprehensive concept in Grevenmacher, comprising various specialists, a blood test laboratory, and a medical imaging service. However, the medical imaging department, featuring MRI and scanner equipment, has been attached to the CHL since January through a governing convention.
Dr Frédéric Hencks, a radiologist and co-investor, hails the partnership as a win-win situation, asserting, "we have gained a formidable ally in the CHL. Their IT infrastructure and extensive resources are valuable assets that we didn't have previously." Conversely, the CHL has also benefited from this collaboration by gaining access to ready-made imaging facilities.
The CHL's Medical Director, Dr Martine Goergen, underscores the success of this cooperation. "The doctors who work there take part in the Saturday MRI programme, they open on Saturdays once a month, and they also do on-call duty. We have a very good working relationship," Dr Goergen explains.
However, challenges persist on the Potaschberg side: while extended opening hours are theoretically possible, they are difficult to implement in practice "due to our limited entrepreneurial autonomy," according to Dr Dominik Doerr, sports doctor and co-investor.
Because of the convention with the CHL, the Potaschberg Medical Centre cannot independently hire additional staff for the medical imaging department. "We depend on the Ministry of Social Security, which, in collaboration with the National Health Fund (CNS), dictates the staffing ratios required for equipment operation."
However, the Potaschberg Medical Centre has submitted a request to this effect. Finally, there is some good news at a time when doctors are in short supply: from January, a neuroradiologist from Germany will be joining the team at Potaschberg.
Full report by RTL Télé (in Luxembourgish)
