Scandal in the clinic: Eleven out of twenty senior doctors quit because of Adolph!

Scandal in the clinic: Eleven out of twenty senior doctors quit because of Adolph!

After a change in management, the Oberschwabenklinik is experiencing fundamental changes that are intended to noticeably improve the working atmosphere. Three years ago, the then managing director Oliver Adolph came under heavy criticism. Employees, including doctors and nurses, reported a tense work environment that they directly linked to Adolph's leadership style. The chief physicians in particular turned to District Administrator Harald Sievers, the chairman of the supervisory board, to draw attention to the grievances. A failed attempt at mediation ultimately led to an amicable separation from the previous managing director in September 2022.

Franz Huber and Oliver Rentzsch subsequently took over the management of the clinic. Since then, the working atmosphere in the Oberschwabenklinik has improved significantly. Numerous nursing staff have been recruited and previous complaints about the working environment appear to have subsided. Despite these positive developments, the hospital group is still faced with financial losses.

Controversies surrounding Oliver Adolph

However, Oliver Adolph's story continues. After leaving the Oberschwabenklinik, he moved to the management consultancy Vicondo Healthcare GmbH and later took on responsibility at the SHG clinics in Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate. There he was appointed co-managing director and given the task of leading the economic restructuring of the clinics.

However, critical voices are emerging here again. Employees at the Völklingen Heart Center sharply criticized Adolph's tone; They complain that its administrative regulations are not in the best interests of patients and employees. A petition from nursing staff and complaints from doctors to the supervisory board illustrate the dissatisfaction. Reports on cardiology departments in which eleven out of twenty senior physicians have already resigned this year demonstrate the tense conditions there.

Setbacks and future challenges

The situation escalated when a chief physician had to leave the house after an argument with Adolph and was not even given the opportunity to say goodbye to his team. In July 2025, the supervisory board decided to withdraw Adolph's management of the Völklingen Clinic, where he has remained part of the management since then. In the future, Adolph is supposed to take on responsibility again at the Merzig clinic, which triggers further resistance. Critics emphasize that despite the loss of trust, Adolph remains in management, which raises questions about future personnel policy. Adolph is currently not commenting publicly on the allegations.

Dealing with staff and the challenges that result raise questions about leadership skills in healthcare institutions and require an objective dialogue about the necessary changes. Operations are expected to stabilize, but management is still under observation.

For more information about the SHG clinics and their management practices, you can visit the clinic's official website shg-kliniken.de.

In a context where the focus should be on both staff and patients, what matters is how the coming months will develop and whether the hoped-for improvements can actually materialize.