The University Hospital Essen
University Hospital Essen was founded in 1909 as a “municipal medical institution” consisting of four hospitals. Since then, it has steadily expanded and was granted university hospital status in 1963.
Today, this major medical center in the Ruhr metropolis is a multidisciplinary maximum-care facility and the largest university hospital in the Ruhr region — Germany’s industrial heart and most densely populated area.
Facts and Figures
All efforts of the hospital staff are primarily focused on meeting patients’ needs, regardless of their condition, age, or personal circumstances.
More than 10,000 employees provide medical care each year to approximately 66,000 inpatients and 370,000 outpatients. The numerous centers and departments of University Hospital Essen form a true “medical city within a city.”
The multidisciplinary complex includes 15 affiliated institutions, among them:
- University Hospital Essen
- Ruhrlandklinik
- St. Josef Hospital Essen-Werden
- Cardiac Surgery Center Essen-Huttrop
- West German Proton Therapy Center
In total, the association comprises 32 clinics and 24 institutes with around 11,000 employees. Since 2015, this unique network has been developing a new model of healthcare delivery — the Smart Hospital concept.
Key Medical Areas
The hospital network covers the full spectrum of comprehensive medical care — from obstetrics and pediatrics to internal medicine, trauma care, and emergency services.
The medical team has achieved outstanding results in oncology, transplantation medicine, and cardiovascular treatment.
In addition, research is conducted in the fields of genetic medicine, immunology, and infectious diseases.
Leading Oncology Center in Germany
The West German Cancer Center Essen (Westdeutsches Tumorzentrum – WTZ), established according to the American Comprehensive Cancer Center model, is recognized as one of the most authoritative oncology centers in Germany. This success is based on a multidisciplinary approach and close collaboration between all departments.
The center includes the largest clinic in Europe for allogeneic stem cell transplantation from both related and unrelated donors. More than 4,000 allogeneic stem cell transplants have been performed here.
In 2014, Professor Dietrich Beelen, Head of the clinic, was awarded the highest honor of the German oncology community — the Karl Heinrich Bauer Medal — for outstanding achievements in cancer research.
WTZ operates in cooperation with the oncology center of the University Hospital Münster and is funded by the German Cancer Society.
Several hundred physicians and researchers from 40 clinics and institutes collaborate within WTZ Essen. Thanks to its interdisciplinary approach, the center provides individualized treatment strategies for each patient, optimally combining inpatient and outpatient care.
As part of the German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) in North Rhine-Westphalia, WTZ aims to rapidly translate the latest research findings into clinical practice and disseminate this knowledge to other medical institutions across Germany.
If you are looking for advanced treatment options in Germany, you can contact us for a personalized consultation.
Organ Transplant Center
The West German Transplant Center (WZO) is a prestigious international center that integrates all achievements of University Hospital Essen in transplantation medicine.
It is one of the few university hospitals where transplantation of all vital organs is performed:
- kidneys
- liver
- pancreas
- heart and lungs
Particular emphasis is placed on kidney and liver transplantation.
Cardiovascular Diseases
The West German Heart and Vascular Center (WHGZ) is also among the leading institutions in Germany.
What makes the center unique is that it integrates not only clinical departments:
- cardiology and angiologу
- neurology
- thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
- pediatric cardiology and vascular surgery
but also research institutes specializing in pathophysiology, pharmacology, and mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases. This enables the development of innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches that are rapidly implemented in clinical practice.
University Hospital Essen was among the first in Germany to introduce a fully digital laboratory, the da Vinci robotic surgical system, and computer-assisted surgical techniques.
Gynecology and Obstetrics
The Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery within the Department of Gynecology at University Hospital Essen is one of only two centers in Germany where surgical treatment of gynecological tumors is performed according to the latest ontogenetic cancer development model.
This approach considers tumor-specific patterns of spread when removing tumors and lymph node metastases, allowing for extremely precise surgical interventions. In many cases, this eliminates the need for additional postoperative radiotherapy.
These surgical techniques were developed over the past two decades at the University Hospital Leipzig and validated in studies involving more than 900 patients with carcinomas of the lower genital tract (cervix, vagina, vulva). The results were published in The Lancet Oncology.
Since 2010, minimally invasive procedures using the da Vinci robotic system have been routinely performed. The high precision of robotic instruments and optimal visualization allow for gentle, minimally invasive surgery, often avoiding large abdominal incisions. This results in faster recovery, reduced pain, and lower postoperative risks.
Importantly, obesity is no longer a contraindication, as body mass index does not limit the use of robotic surgery.
In 2014, Professor Rainer Kimmig, Head of the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, performed the first minimally invasive gynecological surgery in Europe using the da Vinci Xi system.
Infectious Diseases and Immunology
Research in infectious diseases is conducted at the West German Center for Infectious Diseases (WZI), established in 2013. This interdisciplinary center serves as a link between the hospital’s institutes and clinics involved in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infectious diseases.
University Hospital Essen is located approximately 30 km from Düsseldorf International Airport.
To arrange treatment, please complete the online request form or contact us by phone, and we will organize your treatment at University Hospital Essen as quickly as possible