Emergency
en

On August 12, 1883, the Männedorf hospital opened with 9 beds.

61 patients were treated in the first year of operation. The first appendectomy took place in 1901 and in 1909 the operating room was modernized and renovated due to increasing patient numbers. In 1967, 805 children were born. Männedorf Hospital has grown and developed steadily.

In the meantime, the hospital has become a stock corporation, Spital Männedorf AG. A quick look at the here and now shows us that in 2021 a total of 63,461 patients were treated, more than ever before in history.

Our history

On August 12, 1883, the time had finally come: the Männedorf hospital asylum was opened. "Without bells, without festive music, without a procession, without wreaths and flags, but after long, eerie rainy days, with mild sunshine under a deep blue sky, 600 people (...) gathered at the new hospital in the Höchsteg," Father Schuster reported at the time. In the first year of operation, 61 patients were treated on a total of 9 beds.
1892: Under the leadership of the current hospital physician Pestalozzi, increasing patient rejections led to the rapid construction of a west wing corresponding to the east wing. On July 17, 1892, the west wing was opened with three children's rooms, a nurses' room, a bathroom, privy, cellar and attic. With 25 beds, the hospital was now ready for more patients.
1909: Instead of holding festivities after 25 years of operation, the decision was made to hold a "jubilee act", which involved a further expansion of the hospital. A modern operating theater with dressing and sterilization room was planned and built by Zurich architect Carl Hauser adjacent to the east wing.
1915: The asylum sponsorship was expanded: Meilen, Stäfa, Uetikon and Oetwil sealed an agreement on the establishment of the Männedorf District Asylum Foundation. The asylum commission, which until then had consisted exclusively of eleven Männedörfler members, was regionalized. The respected Stäfner local councilor and veterinarian Jean Krauer was elected president.
1925: The next step in expansion was taken: the isolation house was equipped with a couch hall for tuberculosis patients. Looking back at the report of the year, it was stated that the hospital had "really become a boon for our region" and that "the house is in the complete favor of the population". In 1927/28, further funds collected from the district communities enabled further expansion and improved operating, therapy, X-ray, patient and staff rooms.
1932: The birth of the Männedorf District Hospital. The number of patients hospitalized in Männedorf over a twelve-month period increased by over a thousand. A separate department for obstetrics and gynecology was under discussion, a diphtheria and scarlet fever epidemic overtook the hospital, the creation of its own car parking spaces, the establishment of a patients' dayroom, etc.-all this meant that it was no longer possible to speak of an "asylum", but now of the Männedorf District Hospital.
1947: Organizational expansion: on July 2, 1947, Herrliberg, Küsnacht, Erlenbach and Hombrechtikon joined the sponsoring association and a new foundation charter was drawn up. Carlo Graf became the first full-time hospital administrator.
1955: The work is completed: A wide staircase led through the entrance wing to the waiting hall, which was adjoined to the west by rooms for the administration, the chief surgeon, and elevators. At the eastern end, the central sterilization department was located in the basement, with an elevator at ground level leading to the location of the chief surgeon, the infirmary, the trauma ward and X-ray diagnostics. More surgical departments established themselves on the B floor above, and the building department on the C floor. The east end of the old building served primarily maternity and infant rooms. The completed west building offered 135 additional beds on four floors. The construction alone amounted to CHF 8.55 million, CHF 2.22 million more than originally planned.
1965: A conference of the presidents of the nine district municipalities and the hospital commission with the cantonal health directorate called for a new mandate: the question of need in terms of a hospital extension of a second district hospital on the right bank of the lake was to be clarified. The draft envisaged 400 additional beds and a temporary transitional solution was to provide relief for the time being. The new concept on the hospital site in Männedorf met with serious resistance.
1974: The work was completed: through the entrance wing a wide staircase led to the waiting hall, to which rooms of the administration, the chief surgeon as well as elevators connected in the direction of the west. At the eastern end, the central sterilization department was located in the basement, and at ground level an elevator led to the location of the chief surgeon, to the infirmary, to the trauma ward and to the X-ray diagnostics. On the B - floor above, other surgical departments were established and on the C - floor the building department. The eastern front of the old building was mainly used for maternity and infant rooms. The completed west building offered 135 additional beds on four floors. The construction alone amounted to CHF 8.55 million, CHF 2.22 million more than originally planned.
1982: In the first year of operation, 29 patients were admitted; almost 100 years later, 5061 patients were seeking help in the Männedorf priority hospital. The expansion of the hospital continued, also underground: an emergency hospital with 248 beds was created and served as a protected operation center (GOPS) under the hospital garden for the federal public health system (in the event of war or disaster).
1995: The architect Hans Meyer, who had been involved in the construction of the hospital with "spirit, soul and body" for the past 25 years, announced his departure. The renovations of the central wing were completed. The Männedorf District Hospital was the first hospital in the Canton of Zurich to record and evaluate patient classification data by the nursing service "on line" in the EDP system. The new outpatient clinic brought a noticeable increase in outpatient services, and patients felt they received more personalized care.
2002: The construction period is over for the time being and the hospital management's attention is now focused on management tasks and strategic issues. Among other things, the focus is on gynecology & obstetrics. In general, an increase in patient numbers with a simultaneous decrease in total nursing days can be seen. The Männedorf District Hospital found its way onto the hospital list a few years ago and satisfactory service assignments were assigned to it. The hospital is now also considered an attractive employer. For the first time in history, more than 6,000 patients were treated at Männedorf District Hospital. Oskar Rutishauser was appointed as the new Chairman of the Board of Directors in 2002.
2009: The last years of Männedorf Hospital were marked by change and new beginnings. In 2007, the new director Ralph Baumgartner takes over. In 2008, the hospital celebrates its 125th anniversary. The first stage of the partial renovation took place. The steadily increasing number of patients and also employees was enjoyed every year. It was decided not to continue the merger negotiations with the Linth Hospital, but within the canton, the focus was largely on the expansion of obvious cooperations. The focus was also on the range of services in the areas of cardiology and oncology, as well as the consideration of three competence centers in the areas of visceral medicine, tumor diseases and "mobility of the aging person".
2014: A lot is on the move, off to new shores! 2012 was a key year for healthcare providers: the revised legal provisions on hospital planning and financing applied for the first time. The resulting competition demanded a flexible management structure. Strategically, Männedorf Hospital should be the first choice for patients in the region. In 2013, the Da Vinci system was used in the operating rooms for the first time. Despite the negative annual result in 2014, corresponding realignments ensured a structured implementation of the strategic goals. The hospital gains Dr. Stefan Metzker as its new CEO.
2015-2017: After the overall renovation of the second construction stage was completed in 2015, it was important to focus on the clear strategy developed in 2014 and its consistent implementation. One of these milestones was the commissioning of the emergency ward in 2015: 12,664 patients were treated there that year. Uniform process and quality management based on the lean philosophy was introduced to better meet the needs of patients. A new patient record emerged in 2016: a total of 7727 patients were treated at Männedorf Hospital. This year, among other things, the areas of acute geriatrics and orthopedics were strengthened. As a further focus, the obesity center was launched and the palliative care unit was successfully certified. The hospital thus covers 35 medical specialties. Increasing flexibility enables the hospital to adapt to rapidly changing conditions. Thus, cooperation with other healthcare providers serves as an important cornerstone here: Männedorf Hospital sees itself as a hub of regional primary care. Close networking with cooperation partners thus ensures comprehensive care for patients. For example, the first visceral surgical procedures are performed by a team from the USZ in the operating rooms of Männedorf Hospital.
2019: Collaboration with attending physicians, referring physicians, cooperation partners, regional hospitals and nursing homes create indispensable added value. In accordance with the requirements of the Health Directorate, the implementation of outpatient care presented the hospital with major challenges. Spurred on by medical advances, healthcare costs are thus reduced, which is successfully achieved. The hospital made it into the top 250 employers in 2018, with 986 employees putting their heart and soul into their work every day. Thanks to closer cooperation with the USZ, patients can be offered highly specialized medicine with a holistic approach to treatment.
2021: Crisis mode: suddenly the coronavirus is no longer somewhere in China, but here! In addition to economic problems, the covid pandemic poses a variety of challenges, including at Männedorf Hospital. Surgery operations are shut down, bed wards are converted into a covid ward, ventilation places are doubled, and the monitoring ward is converted into an additional intensive care unit. Employees respond with incredible dedication. In the long term, however, the pandemic naturally puts a great physical and psychological strain on everyone. The hospital is caring for an above-average number of covid patients in relation to its number of beds and has to accept a large annual loss of 3.15 million in 2020. Despite difficult circumstances, the hospital continues to invest in primary care. Thanks to targeted action, the hospitals can make their contribution to getting the pandemic under control. In 2021, the hospital will be back in the black and treat more inpatients than ever before: 8162. In addition, the first joint project with the USZ will be realized: the establishment of the joint breast center and its successful certification. Despite the ongoing pandemic, it is always important to ensure that Männedorf Hospital meets the basic care requirements in the region. In November 2021, the new brand identity will be introduced to convey a modern and dynamic image. This includes a new logo, color palette and various design elements. These new elements create a consistent and unique brand identity.
Today, the hospital offers the entire spectrum of a primary care hospital to the more than 80,000 people living on the right bank of Lake Zurich. In addition, it covers selected specialties such as geriatric medicine, oncology, orthopedics, obesity treatment, urology and abdominal surgery. With over 1000 employees, around 50,000 patients are treated and cared for close to home every year. In addition, there are around 90 affiliated and consultant physicians.