Professor Dr. med. Karl Philipp Kutzner is a recognized specialist in orthopedic surgery with a focus on joint replacement, particularly hip and knee endoprosthetics. He has many years of experience as a senior physician at a clinic specialized in endoprosthetics and has demonstrated his scientific expertise through a habilitation at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. His particular expertise lies in the use of short-stem prostheses, in which he is among the leading experts in Germany. With his practice, the Endoprotheticum Rhein-Main, Prof. Dr. Kutzner has been offering modern, individualized treatment concepts since 2023, ranging from minimally invasive techniques to revision surgeries.
He places great emphasis on comprehensive care that does not exclude conservative measures, in order to support patients in the best possible way. Thanks to his extensive expertise, he succeeds in developing tailored solutions for each patient that lead to long-term pain relief and improved quality of life. His patients benefit from the close integration of his practice with the state-of-the-art curaparc clinic in Mainz and the Lilium Clinic in Wiesbaden, which combine excellent surgical care with personal attention.
Prof. Dr. Kutzner is known for his empathetic and individualized consultations, which he can provide particularly intensively thanks to his private practice setting. This allows him to take the necessary time to work with patients to develop the best possible treatment strategy. As a result, he ranks not only among the medically outstanding but also among the most patient-centered orthopedic surgeons in the Rhine-Main region. The editorial team of the Leading Medicine Guide spoke with the specialist for joint replacement to learn more about the new treatment approach at the new curaparc clinic in Mainz—and why it is so important for patients to have all therapy components under one roof.
The Endoprotheticum Rhein-Main in Mainz is a specialized center focused on treating patients with joint diseases using joint replacement. People with joint pain and complaints receive comprehensive, individualized care here. Recently, Prof. Dr. Kutzner also took on the role of medical director of the new curaparc clinic in Mainz, where he operates on and cares for his patients. The new practice location of the Endoprotheticum is also situated on the curaparc campus and, in cooperation with a large physical therapy practice directly adjacent to the clinic, offers follow-up treatment in the form of an ENDO rehab program. 
„In mid-June 2025, the new curaparc clinic officially went into operation with its first surgery. At the same time, the first patients are already being treated at the new location, the Endoprotherapeuticum. Everything is still very new, but the direction is clear and contemporary. The concept of offering bundled, interdisciplinary medical services from a single source is in greater demand than ever—and that is precisely what is being taken up and consistently implemented here. The question of the concrete benefits patients gain from the new location and the integrated treatment concept—especially in endoprosthetics—can be answered particularly well against the backdrop of current structural challenges in the healthcare system. There is a fundamental problem: demand for orthopedic treatments continues to rise, not least due to demographic change.
At the same time, the public healthcare system is coming under increasing pressure—care is becoming more difficult, especially for patients with statutory insurance. Public hospitals, which also must ensure emergency care, are struggling with severe staff shortages. Planned procedures—typical in endoprosthetics—therefore get pushed aside more and more often in everyday clinical practice. Typically, endoprosthetic procedures are not acute emergencies but operations that can be planned years in advance. Nevertheless, these procedures are repeatedly postponed in many public hospitals.
Waiting lists are long; those affected often wait half a year or longer for a surgery date. Even when a date is set, last-minute cancellations can occur—for example, if emergencies such as femoral neck fractures are admitted overnight or staff are absent. The planned patients are then the ones who are put off—an issue that is frustrating not only for them but also for the treating specialists, especially when, as external surgeons, they depend on available OR capacity“, explains Prof. Dr. Kutzner at the beginning of our conversation, and continues:
„These structural problems lead to systematic underprovision in the area of elective procedures. To counter this development, alternative care models are needed—such as specialized, privately run clinical facilities that focus specifically on elective orthopedic services. Such a facility need not be reserved exclusively for privately insured patients. Statutorily insured patients should also have the opportunity to turn to such facilities when the situation in the public hospital landscape requires it. Privately run clinics do not have to maintain an emergency department or intensive care unit—this allows them to specialize clearly in planned procedures. Such structures can usefully complement public provision by enabling reliable, predictable, and high-quality treatment—especially in areas such as endoprosthetics, where time, preparation, and continuity play a decisive role“.
The integration of the Endoprotheticum Rhein-Main and the Endoprotherapeuticum into the curaparc Campus Mainz offers patients a holistic care concept that optimally links all phases of treatment related to joint replacement—from precise diagnostics and individualized surgical planning and preparation to specialized aftercare.
The guiding principle is „everything from a single source“: The close collaboration of all disciplines involved—orthopedics, anesthesia, physical therapy, and nursing—under one roof ensures seamless communication and consistently coordinated care. In this way, every step is tailored to the patient’s needs without frictional losses between different facilities or specialties.
„Modern endoprosthetics has developed significantly in recent years—to the extent that many procedures generally no longer require intensive care. For the vast majority of patients, endoprosthetic surgeries are planned, safe procedures. This development opens up new possibilities in the care structure, particularly with regard to privately run clinics specifically geared toward elective orthopedic procedures. The trend of investors putting money into the construction and operation of such facilities is unmistakable.
Of course, such investors also pursue economic interests. But this is precisely where the challenge lies: If private clinics focus exclusively on privately insured patients or self-pay patients, a care vacuum arises for the majority of the population. There are now numerous facilities that take this exclusive route—but that alone does not solve the structural care problems. What is needed are models that also enable statutorily insured patients to access these specialized facilities“, says Prof. Dr. Kutzner, adding:
„This idea was taken up and successfully established several years ago as part of the Lilium Clinic in Wiesbaden. The approach: to apply to the health insurance funds for coverage under what is known as an individual cost approval request. Prior to that, the diagnosis, the required treatment, and the quality level at which it will be performed are reviewed and documented. Many statutory health insurance funds now recognize this path—on the condition that the treatment costs do not exceed the fixed rates of standard care. This procedure is now used routinely.
The concept at the new clinic location—the curaparc clinic—is also based on this idea: an orthopedically specialized, privately run facility that also treats statutorily insured patients. In addition to orthopedics, procedures from plastic surgery, ENT, and urology are performed to a limited extent. The clear focus, however, is on orthopedic operations. Despite existing limitations—for example, from some large insurers such as AOK or Techniker Krankenkasse, which are currently still hesitant—acceptance among other health insurance funds is now high.
A transparent application before treatment remains a prerequisite, clearly outlining the medical need and quality of care. Patients noticeably benefit in this setting: treatment processes are well planned, the infrastructure is specifically tailored to the procedures, and care is provided in an environment with sufficient staff and a pleasant atmosphere. This closes a gap in care—not by replacing the public system, but by complementing it“.
The interdisciplinary collaboration of surgeons, anesthesiologists, physical therapists, and nursing staff within a specialized facility such as the curaparc clinic in Mainz plays a decisive role in the treatment success of hip and knee endoprostheses. When all involved disciplines work closely together under one roof, patients benefit in multiple ways.
At this point, Prof. Dr. Kutzner emphasizes the tightly woven offering: „A central problem in the current care system is that many patients have hardly any access to timely office or surgery appointments. They often have to wait months—and even then, scheduled appointments are sometimes canceled at short notice. In addition, most public hospitals do not provide a designated physician of reference. Patients often meet the treating surgeon for the first time on the morning of the operation. For many, this is unsatisfactory, as the need for trust, security, and personal attention is particularly strong in a medical context.
In a private, structured setting, this type of patient care can be implemented much better. Patients are seen in the office by the same physician who operates on them—and that physician remains involved throughout the entire follow-up whenever possible. This creates continuous, personal care that is hardly feasible within public structures. Another important aspect concerns postoperative care. Many patients report a successful procedure but are dissatisfied with the subsequent rehab. In rehabilitation clinics, they often encounter new providers, different medical assessments, and instructions that sometimes contradict what was previously communicated.
Yet after an endoprosthetic procedure, it is crucial that postoperative recommendations are based on the specific operative situation—and the operating surgeon knows that best. If the surgeon assesses the intraoperative situation as stable and complication-free, he can tailor the recommendations accordingly. Conversely, if, for example, reduced bone quality is observed during surgery, targeted postoperative adjustments are required—and immediately so, not later by third parties in an external facility“.
An additional advantage of the model lies in the close interlinking of the surgical team, physical therapy, and rehab unit. Because providers are personally on site, medical questions or uncertainties can be clarified immediately and therapy plans can be tailored individually.
„Not every patient needs the same rehab intensity: While some get back on their feet quickly with just a few measures, others need significantly more support—such as lymphatic drainage, movement therapy, or close monitoring. In teaching or large hospitals, such individualized management is hardly feasible due to the high case volumes. In the current model, however, a manageable number of surgeries are performed weekly—leaving enough time to care intensively for the patients. They know in advance who will treat them, can familiarize themselves with their provider’s expertise and personality, and are accompanied throughout the entire course of therapy—right up to full recovery and return to everyday life“, Prof. Dr. Kutzner explains.
The „everything from a single source“ concept creates a structured, transparent, and coordinated treatment chain that minimizes medical, organizational, and communicative risks—thereby ensuring greater safety, quality, and trust.
Prof. Dr. Kutzner describes further advantages: „What does not yet exist comprehensively in this form—and what we are currently building—is an on-site rehab offering that is also attractive for people who are not from Mainz or the immediate surrounding area. For these patients, we are currently creating modern apartments totaling around 750 square meters, where they can stay with a partner—for a week, ten days, or individually tailored. These apartments—currently in the final stages of construction—allow patients to live directly on the practice premises, in close proximity to the rehab facility and the clinic.
The apartments are equipped with a private bathroom, shower, and everything you would expect from a good hotel. Meals are provided by the clinic next door. The goal is to make the stay as pleasant and as efficient as possible—with short distances, close therapeutic support, and high medical quality. Physical therapy takes place directly on site—our therapists currently cover the area from early morning into the evening. I myself am usually on site from around 8:30 a.m. and continue supporting many patients in the afternoons and evenings. Together, we can shape rehab individually, without a rigid schedule or standard program. Exactly how this concept will develop in the long term remains to be seen in practice—but the idea is set, and the first building blocks have already been implemented.
In addition, the entire location is designed as a medical campus. Alongside orthopedics, there are other specialties here—a general practitioner, internists, gynecology, other orthopedic facilities—so that we can confer across specialties at short notice when specific questions arise. That is a real advantage for medical care“.
The accommodations on the medical campus are designed as self-pay services, comparable to a hotel stay. Costs will be around 80 euros per night—a mid-range price level. This means a patient can live on site for a week for around 500 euros, in close exchange with the therapeutic team and in a comfortable environment. For many patients, this is a sensible and manageable investment in their health. Importantly: while the apartment is a private/self-pay service, the medical treatment itself is now reimbursable by many statutory health insurance funds upon application. Pure accommodation costs, however, are not covered.
Regarding the benefits covered by health insurance, Prof. Dr. Kutzner explains: „Another point concerns supplemental insurance. Many people assume that a private hospital supplemental policy automatically covers all costs—but that is not always the case. For example, those who have basic coverage with Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) cannot necessarily be treated as inpatients in a private clinic, even with supplemental insurance. The supplemental policy may cover comfort services such as a single room or treatment by the chief physician, but not free choice of hospital. It is different, for instance, with DAK: there is already considerably more flexibility even without supplemental insurance—and in combination with a supplemental policy, there is absolute freedom of choice.
Most insured persons are not aware of such differences—I didn’t know that myself in the past. That’s why we try to offer a flexible solution with our concept: Statutorily insured patients can also be treated with us through so-called individual cost approval applications. This is an important component of our model. Our goal is to establish this concept as a forward-looking care pathway—initially in the Rhine-Main area, in Mainz“.
The goal is to create a privately run medical offering—independent of large hospital corporations and chains. The concept is deliberately not aimed exclusively at a wealthy target group but seeks to make medical quality accessible to as many people as possible.
„Naturally, such structures must also be economically viable. A longer inpatient stay is hardly affordable within statutory health insurance—the costs have become very high. But if you design the length of stay efficiently—limited to two or three days, as is medically fully sufficient in the vast majority of cases—then it works very well. With tight scheduling, you can treat more patients without compromising on quality.
We can see that many people are waiting for precisely such offerings. The biggest misunderstanding remains: ‘Private clinic—that’s only for privately insured patients.’ But that is no longer true. The challenge is to change this perception in the public—because reality is much more open. When all services come from a single source, the risk of misunderstandings, loss of information, or uncoordinated treatment pathways automatically decreases. That starts right after surgery: In traditional rehab structures, patients often move to a different facility for several weeks. There, they do receive medical care, but from people who do not know them, who did not perform the surgery themselves, and who often lack important details. Occasionally, we see patients at a six-week follow-up—with poorly healing wounds, unexplained pain, or complications that could have been avoided. Then you naturally ask: Why didn’t you get in touch earlier? Why did no one notice“, says Prof. Dr. Kutzner, who then comments on rehab effectiveness:
„But if rehab takes place on site—right where the surgery was performed—patients can simply turn to us if they are unsure: ‘You operated on me—please take a look, is this okay?’ This personal, rapid feedback prevents many issues. It replaces the feeling of anonymity with close, trusting cooperation. Of course, there are dedicated colleagues in other clinics who work carefully. But it does make a difference whether you know a patient personally, performed the operation yourself, and take active responsibility for the outcome—or whether you join later as an outsider. Responsibility, proximity, and knowledge of the individual circumstances are simply greater in the former case—and that contributes decisively to quality“.
The tightly integrated model of surgery, follow-up care, and rehab—all under one roof—enables short distances, rapid responses, and individualized attention. This helps prevent complications, improves treatment quality, and supports faster, safer, and more sustainable recovery.
„Our clinic has a total of four operating rooms. To start, we are initially putting two of them into operation. We are aware that the beginning will be challenging. As a newly opened, privately run clinic in a metropolitan area, we are still largely unknown. Many people do not yet realize that we deliberately want to take a different, patient-centered approach. In the first weeks, I therefore do not expect full utilization of all four ORs. There are also 13 inpatient beds available—a capacity that could become a bottleneck in the future.
However, outpatient care is playing an increasingly important role today. Looking ahead, it may even be possible to perform certain procedures on an outpatient basis—especially for patients from the local area. Models from the United States could serve as an example: patients drive up, have surgery, and leave the clinic two to three hours later. We are (not yet) at that point in Germany. Currently, most patients still stay two to three nights for observation. But it is quite possible that care will continue to evolve in the coming years toward outpatient-then-brief-inpatient models—supplemented by house calls or early integration with rehab“, predicts Prof. Dr. Kutzner.
Rehab is provided partly individually, partly in smaller groups, or through structured training stations. Not every intervention can or should be delivered one-on-one.
Prof. Dr. Kutzner offers an example: „During lymphatic drainage, a therapist works intensively with one person—afterward, the patient trains independently under supervision in the training area. What matters is not only supervision but also constant medical proximity. Our vision is to accommodate postoperative patients directly on the ward, with the practice next door and the rehab unit in the same building. This allows us to provide close follow-up. I can, for instance, walk through the training area and spontaneously speak with a patient: ‘Mr. Müller, how are you? Are you managing well?’—and if not, we can react immediately. This kind of proximity is a clear advantage of our concept“.
A classic risk in orthopedic procedures is postoperative infection—the most serious complication medically speaking. „While no physical therapist can be blamed for that, response time is crucial. The earlier we notice something, the better we can intervene. This is precisely where it helps if the team on site is already familiar with the patient. Another risk concerns load management: Over the past 10–15 years, we have rightly advocated for early mobilization.
However, especially with cementless implants, too early or too intense loading can lead to prostheses loosening or healing incorrectly. It doesn’t happen often—but it does happen. And in many cases, it would have been avoidable. I’ll put it bluntly: just as rehab helps, it can also harm. That’s why it is enormously important to tailor therapy individually. Some people need to be slowed down—especially the active or athletic—while others need more support and motivation. Not everyone has the same baseline or the same goals. And not everyone needs the same rehab program. That is exactly why a differentiated, personalized approach is so important“, Prof. Dr. Kutzner emphasizes.
Especially in the case of complications or revision surgeries for hip or knee endoprosthetics, the close networking of all relevant specialties under one roof is of crucial importance. Such procedures are often more complex than primary implantation and require not only surgical expertise but also coordinated collaboration with anesthesia, radiology, laboratory diagnostics, microbiology, physical therapy, and nursing.
„We are starting with an orthopedic team of initially six, and probably soon seven, colleagues. All are experienced specialists from private practice—including the two team physicians of Mainz 05, who have been on board from the beginning. An orthopedic practice from Bad Kreuznach is also involved. We are deliberately starting at this scale and observing how everything develops. The location is part of a so-called health campus, where additional space is available.
If demand increases and there is a ‘run’ on our services, expansion would be conceivable—for example, through additional bed capacity or medical units. But realistically: in this first year we will be happy if we can keep the 13 beds regularly occupied. It is also important to us that we do not establish mass processing. Our aspiration is individualized, high-quality care. And not only for an exclusive patient group, but accessible to as many people as possible—in a framework that prioritizes quality over quantity“, states Prof. Dr. Kutzner. 
The health campus—almost like a medical „vacation“?
„Absolutely—we are pursuing a modern concept: short distances, interdisciplinary collaboration, personal care. It can and should feel somewhat more comfortable than the classic hospital routine. And if the term ‘health campus’ evokes high-quality associations, that is absolutely intended. It’s about creating an atmosphere in which people feel well cared for. And when you really need something, you should be able to say: that’s exactly where I want to go“, affirms Prof. Dr. Kutzner, and with that we conclude our conversation.
Many thanks, Prof. Dr. Kutzner, for the insight into your modern concept at the curaparc clinic!
