Wir überwinden Grenzen

Minister of Science Theresia Bauer and the President of the Départementrat Haut-Rhin, Brigitte Klinkert, thanked the employees of the Medical Center - University of Freiburg for their cross-border help during the coronavirus crisis

We overcome borders - the motto of the Medical Center - University of Freiburg was also the motto for the visit of Science Minister Theresia Bauer and Brigitte Klinkert, President of the French Département Council Haut-Rhin, to the Medical Center - University of Freiburg. On Monday, 15 June 2020, they visited the intensive care wards and learned about the challenges in intensive care during the COVID-19 pandemic and the importance of a supra-regional center for the treatment of acute respiratory distress syndromes, such as those that can occur in COVID-19 patients - and were deeply impressed.

"I would like to express my sincere thanks to the staff at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg, who provided rapid and unconditional assistance in March in the care of COVID-19 patients from Alsace. That was a real sign of Franco-German friendship in action. I am particularly pleased that we were able to send a signal of solidarity from here that has been emulated throughout Germany and Europe. This is the Europe we live," said Science Minister Theresia Bauer.

Brigitte Klinkert, President of the Départementrat Haut-Rhin: "This Franco-German solidarity has enabled us to save lives. My heartfelt thanks go to the Minister, but also to the University Hospital, Professor Dr. Wenz and Professor Dr. Bürkle for their responsiveness and professionalism. When it came to receiving the first Alsatian patient suffering from COVID-19, they were immediately on the spot. This cooperation in healthcare is necessary in the future and I am delighted to be able to talk to you all about it here on this symbolic day of reopening borders."

"The expansion of Franco-German cooperation in medicine is very important to us," said Prof. Dr. Frederik Wenz, Chief Medical Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Medical Center - University of Freiburg. The corona crisis has also highlighted the importance of a structured expansion of cross-border epidemiological planning and coordination in the field of intensive care medicine.

For Prof. Dr. Hartmut Bürkle, Medical Director of the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg, a convinced European, as he describes himself, it was and is a "matter of the heart" to help in solidarity and across borders. "We have been cooperating with Alsace in emergency and intensive care medicine for a long time, so it was a matter of course for us to admit French patients and provide them with the best possible intensive care. This allowed us to actively support our French colleagues, who have done an incredible job during the height of the pandemic."

They discussed how collaboration in patient care, as well as in research and teaching, could be further strengthened. One proposal is the establishment of a coordination office for cross-border medicine, which could bring together and expand the diverse activities in the areas of healthcare and research and strengthen the promotion of young talent. This proposal will now be examined in the near future.

Image 1: Brigitte Klinkert, President of the Départementrat Haut-Rhin, Prof. Dr. Christoph Bode, Medical Director of the Department of Medicine III at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg and the Department of Cardiology and Angiology I at the University Heart Center - University of Freiburg - Bad Krozingen, Prof. Dr. Friedhelm Beyersdorf, Medical Director of the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery at the University Heart Center Freiburg - Bad Krozingen, Minister of Science Theresia Bauer and Prof. Dr. Frederik Wenz, Chief Medical Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Medical Center of Freiburg, on a tour of the intensive care units (from left to right).

Photo 2: Minister of Science Theresia Bauer, Brigitte Klinkert, President of the Haut-Rhin Departmental Council, Prof. Dr. Frederik Wenz, Chief Medical Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Medical Center of Freiburg and Carsten Dose, Head of the Department of University Medicine at the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts, visited the intensive care units at the Medical Center of Freiburg (from left to right).

Image 3: Prof. Dr. Hartmut Bürkle, Medical Director of the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care at the Medical Center of Freiburg, Minister of Science Theresia Bauer, Brigitte Klinkert, President of the Haut-Rhin Departmental Council, and Prof. Dr. Frederik Wenz, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of the Board of Directors of the Medical Center of Freiburg, at the closing press statement (from left to right)

Image rights: (c) Medical Center - University of Freiburg