All of this started back in May. It's been tough watching this unfold. I've not posted, because with a fast changing situation and only hearing filtered information, I won't post what I'm not sure about.
Today, I spent the entire day at the Alpha Klinik. Everything is as Dr. Zeegers said. It's the same nurses, technicians, therapists, doctors, office staff, etc... providing the same excellent care that we've come to know and love.
Dekkers is gone.
I spoke to Dr. Hoogland today. As has been reported in the press, he will be retiring soon. I'm so sorry to see him stop practicing. I was privileged to see him in the OR on many occasions. Not only is he a pioneer and considered to be one of the fathers of modern endoscopic spine surgery, he's also a gifted diagnostician, inventor and is physically skilled in a way that allows him to do such delicate surgery with confidence. Many readers will remember that he did endoscopic surgery on my wife just over a year ago. He's still doing surgery now and I don't know when his retirement becomes effective, but when it happens, we will have lost an amazing resource.
I have not spoken to Jurgen Toft, but the press is reporting that the knee center at the Alpha Klinik will close and he'll resume operations in a new facility in Perlach, another suburb of Munich that is just a few miles from the AK.
The Alpha Klinik has been acquired by ATOS (
www.atos.de). Press releases say that they will continue to operate the orthopedic and sports clinics. They also report that expansion of the facility is coming.
There us much more to come, but I'll only write what I consider to be reliable info, so I'll stop here.
All the best,
Mark