What St Augustinus Gelsenkirchen does

KERN Katholische Einrichtungen Ruhrgebiet Nord GmbH (St. Augustinus Gelsenkirchen) is a Catholic integrated healthcare network (Leistungsverbund) headquartered at Virchowstraße 122, Gelsenkirchen, Germany, sponsored by Pfarrei Propstei St. Augustinus in Gelsenkirchen under the Diocese of Essen. The network operates 11 hospitals (the largest being Marienhospital Gelsenkirchen with 568 beds, an academic teaching hospital of Ruhr-Universität Bochum and Universität Duisburg-Essen), three senior care facilities (Seniorenzentrum St. Hedwig, Alten- und Pflegeheim St. Josef, St. Vinzenz-Haus, totaling approximately 308 places), nine educational and pedagogical facilities (including four kindergartens, two youth welfare homes, and three healthcare training schools such as KBG with 625 nursing training positions), and more than 30 KERN-MVZ ambulatory medical practice locations covering 17+ specialties, including the unique-in-Germany Arche Noah pediatric hospice and short-term care facility. Roughly 7,500 specialized professionals in medicine, nursing, and education serve patients across nine cities (Bochum, Essen, Gelsenkirchen, Bottrop-Kirchhellen, Gladbeck, Herten-Westerholt, Dorsten, Marl, Haltern am See) in the northern Ruhr region.

The business model is built on regulated German healthcare reimbursement: inpatient services are billed under the Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRG) system, ambulatory services under the EBM (Einheitlicher Bewertungsmaßstab) fee schedule, and senior care under Pflegesätze funded via long-term care insurance and patient co-payments, with education and training services billed as professional-services fees. Revenue is therefore diversified across statutory and private health insurers with no single named enterprise customer. The go-to-market is sales-led and location-based: patients access services through direct referrals, emergency departments, scheduled admissions, and outpatient visits at owned facilities distributed across the catchment region.

The technology stack centers on digitalized hospital operations with electronic documentation systems (notably complete ward digitalization at Gertrudis-Hospital Westerholt), a proprietary internal flexible-staffing platform called Kernflex (kernflex.ruhr) for nursing personnel, dedicated quality-and-risk management infrastructure (DIN EN ISO 50001 energy management, LkSG supply-chain due-diligence platform, tumor documentation, hygiene management), and brand-anchored sub-businesses such as Augustinus Sportmedizin and Augustinus Tumor Centrum Gelsenkirchen/Gladbeck (ATC). The corporate structure comprises more than 20 wholly owned subsidiaries organized by facility, function, and shared service (e.g., KKRN Katholisches Klinikum Ruhrgebiet Nord GmbH, Elisabeth-Krankenhaus GmbH, MVZ Ruhrgebiet Nord GmbH, St. Augustinus Heime GmbH, St. Augustinus Immobilien GmbH, St. Augustinus Energie GmbH, Kernflex GmbH).

Name

St Augustinus Gelsenkirchen

Legal name

KERN Katholische Einrichtungen Ruhrgebiet Nord GmbH

Website

https://st-augustinus.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

KERN Katholische Einrichtungen Ruhrgebiet Nord GmbH (St. Augustinus Gelsenkirchen) is a Catholic integrated healthcare network operating 11 hospitals, 3 senior care facilities, 9 educational facilities, and 30+ outpatient practices across 9 cities in Germany's northern Ruhr region, employing 7,500 professionals in medicine, nursing, and education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospital and Healthcare Services

NAICS

General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (6221), Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals (62221), Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists) (621111), Ambulatory Health Care Services (621)

SIC

Services-Hospitals (8060), Services-General Medical & Surgical Hospitals, Nec (8062), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-Skilled Nursing Care Facilities (8051), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro primary industry

Community & Regional General Hospitals (HLAFAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Hospital-Owned Physician Networks & Medical Groups (HLAFAAAL)

Keywords

• Hospital healthcare services
• Senior care facilities
• Ambulatory medical centers
• Healthcare vocational training
• Integrated care network

Headquarters

HQ city

Gelsenkirchen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Hospital Services (DRG-based): Inpatient hospital services billed through the German Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRG) system, reimbursed by statutory and private health insurers.
2. Outpatient/Ambulatory Medical Services: Ambulatory medical services provided through medical care centers (MVZs), billed under EBM (Einheitlicher Bewertungsmaßstab) fee schedules.
3. Senior Care Services: Stationary and short-term elderly care services, funded through long-term care insurance (Pflegeversicherung) and patient co-payments.
4. Education and Training Services: Vocational training in healthcare professions through schools including Kirchliches Bildungszentrum für Gesundheitsberufe im Revier (KBG) and Schule für Gesundheits- und Pflegeberufe Marl.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

St. Augustinus Gelsenkirchen (KERN Katholische Einrichtungen Ruhrgebiet Nord GmbH) operates an integrated healthcare network (Leistungsverbund) comprising 11 hospitals, 3 senior care facilities, 9 childcare and youth welfare facilities, and approximately 30 outpatient medical practice locations across the northern Ruhr region in Germany. The network delivers inpatient hospital services, ambulatory medical care across 17+ specialties, elderly residential and short-term care, vocational training in healthcare professions, and kindergarten and youth welfare services.

Product overview

KERN Katholische Einrichtungen Ruhrgebiet Nord GmbH is a healthcare network operating as a Leistungsverbund (performance alliance) for medicine, nursing, and pedagogy in the northern Ruhr area. The organization comprises 11 hospitals (including Marienhospital Gelsenkirchen with 568 beds as the largest, and St. Elisabeth-Krankenhaus Dorsten with 300 beds), 3 senior care facilities, 9 childcare/educational facilities, and approximately 30 KERN-MVZ ambulatory medical practice locations. The network employs approximately 7,500 professionals serving communities across Essen, Gelsenkirchen, Bochum-Wattenscheid, Gladbeck, Bottrop-Kirchhellen, Herten-Westerholt, Dorsten, Marl, and Haltern am See. Additional services include sports medicine centers, educational institutions for healthcare training, and specialized facilities like the Arche Noah children's hospice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KERN: Primary brand name and acronym for Katholische Einrichtungen Ruhrgebiet Nord GmbH - used for the integrated healthcare network
• KERN-Praxis
• KERN-MVZ
• Kernflex
• kernGESUND
• Augustinus Sportmedizin
• Augustinus Tumor Centrum Gelsenkirchen/Gladbeck (ATC)

Products and services

• Marienhospital Gelsenkirchen Modern acute and trauma hospital with 568 beds and 10 departments. Academic teaching hospital of Ruhr-Universität Bochum and Universität Duisburg-Essen; the largest hospital in Gelsenkirchen.
• Elisabeth-Krankenhaus Gelsenkirchen-Erle Hospital specializing in acute geriatrics and early rehabilitation, psychiatry and psychotherapy, with 223 beds serving the northern part of Gelsenkirchen.
• Gertrudis-Hospital Westerholt Hospital with four medical departments, a palliative care station, and a geriatric day clinic featuring complete digitalization across all stations with nearly 200 beds.
• Marien-Hospital Marl Hospital with seven medical departments, a palliative care station, and an affiliated school for health and nursing professions. Nearly 1,000 staff care for over 13,000 inpatients and 17,000 outpatients annually with approximately 300 beds.
• Sankt Marien-Hospital Buer Modern healthcare provider established in 1867 with over 257 beds across seven clinics, offering qualified staff and modern medical equipment.
• St. Antonius-Krankenhaus Bottrop-Kirchhellen Hospital focused on psychiatry/psychotherapy and geriatric psychiatry with 120 beds and 20 day clinic places, located in scenic northern Ruhr area.
• St. Barbara-Hospital Gladbeck The only hospital in Gladbeck with 306 beds and 8 departments. Roots trace back to 1894 with a family-like working atmosphere.
• St. Elisabeth-Krankenhaus Dorsten Hospital with ten medical departments, a palliative care station, and an affiliated educational institute for health and nursing professions. Nearly 1,000 staff serve over 10,000 inpatients and 25,000 outpatients with 300 beds.
• St. Sixtus-Hospital Haltern am See Hospital with six medical departments. Nearly 500 staff serve nearly 7,000 inpatients and over 13,000 outpatients annually with approximately 200 beds.
• Gesundheitszentrum St. Vincenz Essen-Stoppenberg Health center with a local clinic currently offering 27 inpatient beds in general medicine. Future plans include an ambulatory surgery center and specialist practices.
• KERN-MVZ Praxen (Medical Care Centers) Network of approximately 30 medical practice locations across the northern Ruhr area providing ambulatory care including general medicine, surgery, gynecology, orthopedics, pediatrics, radiology, and more specialties.
• Arche Noah Kurzzeiteinrichtung und Hospiz für Kinder Unique facility in Germany combining a children's hospice for life-limiting illnesses with a short-term care facility for severely multiply disabled children, providing relief for families since 2001.
• Seniorenzentrum St. Hedwig Senior center with home-like atmosphere in a quiet residential area near Resse center. Offers 80 fully inpatient places, 26 short-term care places, and 16 fully inpatient care places.
• Alten- und Pflegeheim St. Josef Senior and nursing home in Gelsenkirchen Erle near shopping street and St. Barbara parish church. Offers 93 places, predominantly single rooms, with diverse activities and leisure offerings.
• St. Vinzenz-Haus Pflege- und Betreuungseinrichtung Facility offering residential and short-term nursing care for over 20 years with 93 care places — 63 single and 15 double rooms with balcony or garden access — in a modern, senior-friendly building.
• Kirchliches Bildungszentrum für Gesundheitsberufe im Revier (KBG) State-recognized nursing education institution with 625 training positions in generalist nursing and nursing assistants, training future nurses since 2003.
• Schule für Gesundheits- und Pflegeberufe Marl School for health and nursing professions in Marl, part of the KERN network, providing vocational training for healthcare professionals.
• St. Elisabeth Bildungsinstitut für Gesundheitsberufe GmbH Educational institute for health professions affiliated with St. Elisabeth Hospital Dorsten, providing vocational training programs.
• Augustinus Sportmedizin Sports medicine center offering sports medical examinations and treatment services as part of the Leistungsverbund network.

Quantifiable outcome

• Marien-Hospital Marl: nearly 13,000 inpatients and 17,000 outpatients annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pfarrei Propstei St. Augustinus in GelsenkirchencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe shareholder/sponsor of KERN Katholische Einrichtungen Ruhrgebiet Nord GmbH is the Parish Propstei St. Augustinus in Gelsenkirchen, within the Diocese of Essen. This ecclesiastical sponsorship defines the Catholic identity and charitable mission of the entire Leistungsverbund.
• Bistum EssencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Diocese of Essen (Bistum Essen) oversees the Catholic parishes and institutions in the region, including the sponsorship of St. Augustinus Gelsenkirchen GmbH.
• Ruhr-Universität BochumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic teaching hospital partnership. Marienhospital Gelsenkirchen serves as an Academic Teaching Hospital of Ruhr-Universität Bochum, supporting medical education and research.
• Universität Duisburg-EssencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic teaching hospital partnership. Marienhospital Gelsenkirchen also holds academic teaching hospital status with Universität Duisburg-Essen.
• Humanitas PflegedienstminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated nursing service within the Leistungsverbund network, providing home care nursing services.
• KKRN-aktiv e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegistered association affiliated with the Leistungsverbund, supporting network activities and community engagement.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Universitätsklinikum Essen: Large German university hospital in Essen — part of KERN's academic partnership network (Universität Duisburg-Essen). Comparable regional tertiary care provider and a referral/competition overlap in the same catchment area.

Direct peers

• Asklepios Kliniken: One of Germany's largest private hospital groups operating ~170 facilities. Direct peer in DRG-reimbursed multi-hospital operations, MVZ ambulatory expansion, and German healthcare workforce strategy.
• Sana Kliniken AG: Privately held German hospital group with ~60 facilities, partly owned by German private health insurers. Closely comparable in size and business model, with similar hospital, outpatient, and integrated care exposure in the German DRG market.
• AMEOS Group: Privately held hospital and care group operating ~100 hospitals and care facilities across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Comparable multi-site operator with hospital, psychiatric, and senior care service lines under a single management structure.
• Marienhaus Kliniken GmbH: Catholic hospital network in western Germany operating 18 hospitals and multiple care facilities. Highly comparable as a church-sponsored, mission-driven integrated care network with similar governance, charitable identity, and inpatient/elderly service mix.
• Helios Kliniken (Fresenius Helios): Largest private hospital operator in Germany with ~90 hospitals and ~30,000 beds. Directly comparable as a multi-site hospital network operating under regulated German DRG reimbursement, with similar exposure to inpatient scale economics, nursing workforce challenges, and outpatient expansion via MVZ structures.
• Alexianer GmbH: Catholic healthcare group operating hospitals, psychiatric facilities, and senior care homes across Germany. Closely comparable in mission-driven multi-site operations, psychiatric hospital exposure, and integrated senior/care services.
• BG Kliniken (BG Kliniken IT-Services): German hospital network operating 14 BG (Berufsgenossenschaft) trauma and rehabilitation hospitals under the German occupational insurance system. Comparable multi-hospital operator with specialized inpatient service mix and significant training infrastructure.

Emerging players

• Schön Klinik SE: Privately held German hospital group specializing in orthopedic, neurological, and psychosomatic inpatient care. Comparable in operating specialty inpatient services within the German DRG framework, though focused on fewer, larger specialty sites.

Regional players

• Klinikum Westfalen (e.g., Knappschaft Kliniken): Hospital network operating in the northern Ruhr region (Lünen, Dortmund, Kamen). Directly comparable as a regional hospital operator serving an overlapping catchment with overlapping DRG and ambulatory competitive dynamics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/augustinusge

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about St Augustinus Gelsenkirchen