Primaria takes her hat off

Kirchdorf case: controversial primary physician resigns

The aim is to restore calm at Kirchdorf Hospital following the Primaria's departure.

(Bild: Jack Haijes)

A bombshell at Kirchdorf Hospital in Upper Austria: as the "Krone" newspaper has learned, the head nurse of the department where two deaths led to a homicide investigation will not be returning to the hospital. A successor has already been appointed to smooth things over at the hospital.

"An efficient and functioning anaesthesia department is the heart of every hospital," reads an internal email from the "Collegial Management" of Kirchdorf Hospital, in which the change of personnel was communicated. And this central department had been "out of order", to put it politely, since mid-December at the latest.

Discharge 
A senior physician had been accused of administering an overdose of painkillers to two palliative patients, thereby killing them at least negligently - the "Krone" newspaper got the ball rolling on the case at the time. The accused doctor was immediately dismissed without notice, but an expert opinion that became public last week exonerated him.

Rumors and gossip
In the background, there were rumors among the staff because the hospital management's approach was incomprehensible to many employees. In addition, the senior physician in question is said to have been at the center of a personnel discussion or to have stood in the way of another doctor's planned career. The head of anaesthesia was also repeatedly at the center of the discussion in this case and then took a leave of absence.

New boss comes from Bad Ischl
She will not be returning from this leave. This was agreed "in close consultation between all parties involved", as the hospital management writes. From April 1, a new senior physician from the Bad Ischl Clinic will take over as interim head. "She will be a great asset to our hospital in Kirchdorf, both professionally and personally," say the bosses of the new Primaria.

Future of "ex" Primaria open 
Apparently, the outgoing head of anaesthesia will get a new job in the health holding company, but there are no concrete statements on this yet: "As this is still to be determined together with her."

"Special team spirit"
"The appointment will also contribute to the return of the hoped-for stability, calm and consistency, so that we can all look to the future with optimism. We trust in the special team spirit that has always characterized the local staff in Kirchdorf," the "Collegial Leadership" now hopes that the waves will subside, as some employees had already threatened to resign should the controversial Primaria return from her vacation.