Klinikum Mittelbaden Rastatt-Forbach, Klinik Forbach

The Klinikum Mittelbaden Rastatt-Forbach, Klinik Forbach — formerly known as Kreiskrankenhaus Forbach and originally Bezirksspital Forbach — was a basic-care hospital in Forbach in the Nordschwarzwald region of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was part of the Klinikum Mittelbaden gGmbH, a municipal hospital group serving the Landkreis Rastatt and the wider region. At its peak the hospital provided inpatient care with up to 105 beds, and in its final years it operated with 60 planned beds. The facility traced its origins to 1896, when the municipalities of Forbach, Gausbach, Bermersbach, Langenbrand and the Murgschifferschaft founded the Bezirksspitalverband to build and run a district hospital. Over the following decades the hospital expanded and modernized, becoming a county hospital under the Landkreis Rastatt from 1982 and later being incorporated into the newly founded Klinikum Mittelbaden group in 2004. In the 2010s the surgical department was closed, and in 2019 Klinikum Mittelbaden announced a concentration of acute care at three sites, leading to the closure of Klinik Forbach on 30 June 2020. After closure, the site was repurposed: the general medical practice remained, specialist consultations were established, short-term care places were expanded, an outpatient day care facility opened in September 2020, and a rescue station began operation in January 2023. The Klinik Forbach thus represents a typical case of rural hospital restructuring in Germany, transitioning from inpatient acute care to outpatient and nursing services.

The history of the Klinik Forbach begins in 1896, when the municipalities of Forbach, Gausbach, Bermersbach, Langenbrand and the Murgschifferschaft founded the Bezirksspitalverband (district hospital association). Its purpose was the construction and operation of the Bezirksspital Forbach, which opened with 15 beds for inpatient care. Between 1928 and 1930 the hospital building was expanded and equipped with the latest technology of the time, adding fifty more beds. After further renovation work in 1953, the hospital had 105 beds available for nursing care. On 1 January 1982, the Landkreis Rastatt took over the sponsorship of the Forbach hospital, which was then incorporated into the newly founded municipal hospital group Klinikum Mittelbaden in 2004. In the 2010s, the surgical department was closed. In 2019, Klinikum Mittelbaden announced that it would concentrate acute care at three locations in the future. Alongside Klinik Forbach, Klinik Ebersteinburg in Baden-Baden was also closed. The geriatric medicine department was relocated to the Bühl hospital site, and Klinik Forbach was closed on 30 June 2020. After closure, the existing general medical practice remained, and consultations by chief physicians of Klinikum Mittelbaden were established. The future of the hospital was planned in outpatient and inpatient care. Initially, the existing short-term care places were increased from twelve to 30. After a conversion, long-term care places are to be offered. For this purpose, the state of Baden-Württemberg has pledged funding of 1.01 million euros. After renovation work, an outpatient day care facility with 12 places has been located in the rooms of the former hospital kitchen since September 2020, operated by the Katholische Sozialstation Forbach-Weisenbach. In January 2023, a rescue station was put into operation; previously, since spring 2022, the former emergency department had been converted for this purpose.

• 2023

  Rescue station put into operation in January.

• 2022

  Former emergency department converted into a rescue station starting in spring.

• 2020

  Klinik Forbach closed on 30 June; geriatric medicine department relocated to Bühl.

• 2020

  Outpatient day care with 12 places opens in the former hospital kitchen in September, operated by Katholische Sozialstation Forbach-Weisenbach.

• 2019

  Klinikum Mittelbaden announces concentration of acute care at three locations; closure of Klinik Forbach and Klinik Ebersteinburg decided.

• 2010

  Surgical department closed (during the 2010s).

• 2004

  Hospital incorporated into the newly founded municipal hospital group Klinikum Mittelbaden.

• 1982

  Landkreis Rastatt takes over the sponsorship of the Forbach hospital on 1 January.

• 1953

  Completion of further renovation work; hospital now has 105 beds.

• 1928

  Start of expansion and modernization of the hospital building, adding fifty beds by 1930.

• 1896

  Founding of the Bezirksspitalverband by the municipalities of Forbach, Gausbach, Bermersbach, Langenbrand and the Murgschifferschaft; Bezirksspital Forbach opens with 15 beds.

Municipal basic-care hospital within the Klinikum Mittelbaden network; after closure, a site for outpatient and nursing services.

• Inpatient basic medical care

  Provided until closure in 2020, with up to 105 beds historically and 60 planned beds in final years.

• General medicine practice

  Remained on site after hospital closure.

• Outpatient day care

  12 places, opened September 2020 in former hospital kitchen, operated by Katholische Sozialstation Forbach-Weisenbach.

• Short-term and long-term nursing care

  Short-term care places increased from 12 to 30; long-term care planned after conversion.

• Rescue station

  Operational since January 2023 in the former emergency department.

1. 1Startseite - Klinikum Mittelbadenklinikum-mittelbaden.de
2. 2Klinik Forbach - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
3. 3Klinikum Mittelbaden Rastatt-Forbach, Klinik Forbach - Wikidatawikidata.org