Viersen centralises obstetric care to enhance family support and medical quality

To ensure long-term, high-quality care for expectant mothers while providing secure, future-proof jobs for staff across all hospitals in the region, the district of Viersen has now opted to restructure its obstetric services.

The most significant change: going forward, births will be centralized at Viersen General Hospital (AKH Viersen), a designated perinatal center with a pediatric clinic and neonatal intensive care unit. This allows both delivery and subsequent newborn care to be handled seamlessly under one roof. The independent midwives previously based in Kempen will remain part of the obstetric care network, cooperating with AKH Viersen in the future.

"With this new approach, we are pooling expertise in Viersen to create the best possible conditions for families in the district throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period," explained Dr. Thomas Axer, managing director of AKH Viersen, and Maria Henk, managing director of Hospital zum Heiligen Geist Kempen. Plans are currently underway to explore additional prenatal consultation hours at the Kempen location.

For Hospital zum Heiligen Geist Kempen, the strategy involves strengthening its focus on highly specialized elective care. The established Interdisciplinary Pelvic Floor Center will remain at the Kempen site and continue to expand. Through close cross-disciplinary collaboration with urology, visceral surgery, neurology, and neuromodulation, the hospital offers expertise far beyond basic regional care. Outpatient and elective gynecological services will also continue to be provided in Kempen.