Hannover medical school and Hospital launch Lung and Thoracic Centre

The Hannover Medical School (MHH) and the Hannover Region Hospital (KRH) have signed a letter of intent to establish the Hannover Lung and Thoracic Centre (HLTC). The joint initiative aims to enhance patient care, strengthen clinical research, and improve access to specialized lung and thoracic medicine in the Hannover region and beyond.

“With the HLTC, we are responding jointly to the challenges of modern healthcare and the objectives of the current hospital reform, which envisages a greater concentration of medical services and closer networking between hospital locations,” says Dr. Matthias Bracht, KRH Managing Director of Medicine.

Prof. Frank Lammert, Vice President of the MHH, adds: “For the people in the Hannover region and Lower Saxony, this cross-institutional cooperation means better access to excellent medical care. The HLTC combines the knowledge and experience of the best experts in the field of pulmonary and thoracic medicine in clinics and practices, who work hand in hand.”

Both MHH and KRH are among Germany’s leading institutions in pulmonary medicine and thoracic surgery.

• The Pulmonology Department at KRH Siloah Clinic provides comprehensive care, focusing on pulmonological oncology and respiratory medicine.
• The MHH specialises in rare lung diseases, lung transplantation, and advanced procedures such as ECMO and biohybrid lung replacement.

“As a university hospital, MHH can contribute the latest scientific findings and innovative therapies,” notes Prof. Denise Hilfiker-Kleiner, President of MHH. The creation of a shared management structure and a new professorship at MHH are also part of the plan.

The HLTC will consolidate the existing strengths of both partners to ensure coordinated medical services and optimal patient care. Current collaboration in intensive care and weaning therapy already demonstrates the success of this partnership, MHH provides extensive ICU capacity, while KRH operates one of the largest weaning units nationwide.

Looking ahead, the cooperation will extend to new areas such as COPD, interventional bronchoscopy, and respiratory medicine. The HLTC will also expand joint training and education programs, including modern teaching methods and rotation opportunities for healthcare professionals.

Configured as a partnership structure without legal merger, the HLTC aims to serve as a model for interdisciplinary, interprofessional, and cross-institutional healthcare in Germany.

MEDICA-tradefair.com; Source: Hannover Medical School