DGAP-News: RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG: Annual General Meeting in Frankfurt/Main


RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG / AGM/EGM

09.06.2010 10:24 

Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by
DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer / publisher is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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Results for financial year 2009 
* Further 9.2 % increase in treatments to roughly 1.8 million patients is
proof of the trust people put in our medical care offering.
* With higher revenues of roughly 190 million euros (a gain of 8.9 %) and a
profit of 131.7 million (up 7.4 %), we demonstrate the sustainability of
our growth course also in times of crisis.
Q1 2010 results
* Key figures underscore the good start we have made into the financial
year.
* Overall, 509,793 patients were treated, a rise in patient treatments of
12.7 % compared with the same quarter last year
* Revenues climbed 11.6 % to reach 624.2 million euros.
* Net consolidated profit rose 11.7 % to 34.3 million euros.
* EBITDA rose by EUR 6.1 million or 9.1 % to reach 73.1 million euros.
* EBIT improved 9.4 % to 46.8 million euros.


Forecast for the further course of 2010

The Company confirms its forecast for 2010. Despite a challenging
environment, the Company expects to generate revenues of approximately EUR
2.6 billion and a net profit of roughly EUR 145 million within a range of
plus/minus 5 %. Here, the range for risks and opportunities is represented
by the development of wage negotiations at nearly half of the hospitals as
well as price increases relating to material costs.


Bad Neustadt a.d. Saale/Frankfurt am Main, 9 June 2010

Safe haven for shareholders and patients -
We are available as a strong partner in difficult times 

As 'reliable' and a 'guarantor for continuity in times of change' is how
the chairman of the Board of Management of RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG, Wolfgang
Pföhler, speaking on Wednesday in Frankfurt, described the Group's business
model. In times that have seen the 'bursting' of so many bubbles from the
financial and economic world, the Group had kept steadfastly to its course
and was a 'safe haven for shareholders and patients'.

With Universitätsklinikum Gießen und Marburg, the Group yet again had
demonstrated its restructuring expertise. 'Just recently, the most
important scientific advisory body to the German government, the
Wissenschaftsrat, has issued us with a glowing testimonial to Germany's
first-ever privatisation of a university hospital. Our offer to the State
still holds: as an experienced healthcare service provider, we are prepared
to assist the State in fulfilling its healthcare delivery mandate', Pföhler
emphasised. That also applied in the case of Schleswig-Holstein should that
federal state decide for a privatisation. Pföhler moreover extended an
offer of co-operation talks to all financially troubled hospital operators.

Pföhler outlined the challenges of maintaining good healthcare for everyone
in the context of the austerity measures taken by the State in healthcare
on the one hand, and growing demand for healthcare services in a greying
society on the other: 'If the political debate is limited solely financing
models and cost cutting programmes, that falls short of the mark', the
chairman of the Board of Management made clear. What was needed instead was
innovative concepts in order to release the efficiency reserves lying idle
in the system. For that, a steady and consistent expansion of cross-sector
co-operation in outpatient and inpatient care was needed.

Integrated care approaches invariably unlocked huge quality and efficiency
reserves without contribution payers having to pay one single euro more. To
realise this potential, the system had to be given freedom to develop new
forms of co-operation. 'We have to rethink care delivery', Pföhler
explained. Specifically, there was no question that hospitals, as centres
of medical competence, should also offer outpatient services needed by the
hospital as a safety net. In that case the hospital offers state-of-the-art
medical equipment, interdisciplinary expertise as well as highly developed
emergency care. Medical care centres (MVZs) already now secured medical
care in many regions and should play an even greater role as a mainstay of
generalised healthcare delivery. What was important was that only curative
professionals, i.e. doctors and hospitals, should be allowed to operate
MVZs. It was only with their medical expertise that healthcare delivery was
secured in rural regions.

The chairman of the Board of Management urged the importance of 'breaking
new ground in the healthcare system' and in this connection called on the
State to provide the framework but also to 'act as a referee of fair
competition for the best concepts'. Self-initiative in healthcare had to be
emphasised to a greater extent than in the past. People were increasingly
willing to invest in their own healthcare, which was why the possible
options for patients should be expanded. 'This is the only way to shape
tomorrow's healthcare in the interests of people in general and to avoid
rationing and a two-class healthcare system. That is our stated goal.'

'We are embracing the future with sound judgment and determination. For one
thing is clear: We want to achieve further growth, convincing more and more
people with the good quality of our medical care', Pföhler said.
In this respect, RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG could claim a unique selling point: 'We
are the only healthcare provider in Germany with an integrated healthcare
offering. It extends from outpatient-inpatient basic care, over specialised
and intermediate facilities to maximum care provided at our three
university hospitals in Gießen, Marburg und Herzzentrum Leipzig', the
chairman of the Board of Management explained in conclusion.

In a further press release, the Company will inform of the voting results
after conclusion of the Annual General Meeting in the afternoon.

RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG is one of the largest healthcare providers in Germany. Its
corporate objective is high-quality medical care for everyone. Currently,
our Group counts 53 hospitals at 42 sites as well as 29 medical care
centres (MVZs) throughout Germany. We employ more than 36,000 persons. In
financial year 2009, roughly 1.8 million patients were treated in the
Group's facilities.
More information is available under: www.rhoen-klinikum-ag.com



Esther Walter
Head of Group Press and Public Relations
RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG
Schlossplatz 1
97616 Bad Neustadt a. d. Saale
Phone: +49 9771/ 65 - 1322
Fax: + 49 9771/ 65 - 1820
E-mail: esther.walter@rhoen-klinikum-ag.com





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Language:     English
Company:      RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG
              Schlossplatz 1
              97616 Bad Neustadt a.d.Saale
              Deutschland
Phone:        +49 (0)9771 - 65-0
Fax:          +49 (0)9771 - 97 467
E-mail:       rka@rhoen-klinikum-ag.com
Internet:     www.rhoen-klinikum-ag.com
ISIN:         DE0007042301
WKN:          704230
Indices:      MDAX
Listed:       Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard), München;
              Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Stuttgart
 
End of News                                     DGAP News-Service
 
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