New infrastructure for 18 locations
20.08.2012 17:29
Since the middle of the year, 18 care facilities in Bremen, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein have been operating in a care network called the 'Convivo Group'. Managing director Torsten Gehle brings together different operating companies under one roof and bundles the competencies of his companies. The result: A cross-state, efficient infrastructure that offers short decision-making processes. The care provider also relies on networking in its corporate philosophy.
“We want to create synergies with the restructuring,” says Gehle, who is a trained geriatric nurse himself. This concerns the competencies of individual departments, interdisciplinary collaboration, but also cross-house occupancy management. “Thanks to the close networking, we can offer our customers a wide range of services.” The new structure also has a clear advantage for personnel management: in the event of staff shortages, employees can be temporarily deployed to other locations. The new organization is also an advantage when it comes to recruiting specialist staff. “As an association, we have the opportunity to train employees centrally or to give them a taste of other areas of the company.” Ultimately, this is the key to sustainable employee loyalty. Gehle: “It is very important to us to retain our employees. This only works if we offer them added value in the long term, for example by allowing them to be trained as managers.”
The restructuring shortened the communication channels: “Our communication is now controlled centrally,” says Gehle. Inquiries no longer have to go through several instances, but can be clarified at short notice. “All threads come together centrally. We can accelerate processes and optimize processes. For example, we are now able to order medical supplies and food centrally,” says Gehle. This saves costs, avoids unnecessary transport routes and ultimately benefits the environment.
New structure for more transparency
The name change is an important step for external transparency. Gehle: “Our group of companies has expanded significantly in the last four years and has gained over 200 percent in nursing places.” In the area of “living with services” and the outpatient sector alone, he has recorded an increase of 30 to 40 percent. “The result was numerous operating companies that had the same management, but sometimes different names.” This irritated residents, employees and consumers. As part of the reorganization, all nursing homes were given a uniform appearance. Only in some cases was a renaming necessary. “In Bremen, four inpatient and two outpatient facilities have had their names changed,” explains Gehle. The care provider also opened a new outpatient care service at the Bremen-Mitte Clinic. In doing so, he is responding to the need of many people in need of care to live in their own four walls for as long as possible.
Diversity offers potential
Torsten Gehle has also worked as a nursing service and facility manager for the past 30 years and consciously decided to work on projects in the healthcare sector. He founded his first outpatient care service in 1993, which he gradually expanded to include other care facilities. He started with around five employees and now employs over 1,000 people, including 20 trainees and five retrainees. “In the year we were founded, our gross income was the equivalent of 100,000 euros,” says Gehle. Today the annual turnover of the 18 Convivo stores is 35 million euros.
After around three decades in the care business, Gehle takes stock: “Regardless of my role, it has been shown that diversity and diversity of opinions among employees are the basis for positive further development. We therefore maintain flat hierarchies and prefer direct exchange.” The company name also stands for this. “Convivo stands for ‘togetherness’ – for a network of interpersonal relationships,” explains the managing director. “Together we develop sustainable concepts for a dignified life in old age.”
Renovation instead of oversupply
But the Convivo Group's activities are not just limited to the operational management of objects and facilities. “We also offer business and management consulting,” explains Gehle. The portfolio begins with conceptual development and ends with the furnishing of properties. “In addition, we are committed to the reorganization and renovation of previously uneconomical health and senior care facilities.” This can prevent an oversupply of care facilities in the long term and at the same time ensure a comprehensive care structure.