The 2026/27 *stern* Clinic List Confirms Leading Position in Two Core Competencies
Top performance stems from specialization—in sports as well as in medicine. For 80 years, the Sportklinik Hellersen has combined its expertise in sports medicine with highly specialized care for people of all ages. For this focus, it has once again been included in the *stern* list “Germany’s Outstanding Hospitals 2026/27.” Specifically, the magazine highlights the specialty clinic—with its medical focus areas of “Spinal Surgery” (orthopedics) and “Cruciate Ligament Tears and Meniscus” (orthopedics/trauma surgery) in its special edition “Good Clinics for Me” as highly recommended.
For 80 years, the Sportklinik Hellersen has been synonymous with specialized medicine focused on the musculoskeletal system. In this anniversary year, Dirk Burghaus (Chairman of the Board) and the chief physicians Dr. Oliver Meier (Specialized Spinal Surgery), Dr. Volker Stoll (knee surgery and sports traumatology), and Dr. Markus Leyh (shoulder, elbow, and knee surgery and traumatology) are particularly pleased about the renewed recommendation in the Stern Clinic List 2026/27.
“For eight decades, we have stood for specialized medical care focused on diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal system,” says Dirk Burghaus, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Sportklinik Hellersen. “The latest recommendation in the *Stern* Clinic List is therefore more than just an accolade for our current medical excellence—it is also confirmation of the path our clinic has consistently followed since 1946: quality through specialization.” This recognition follows seamlessly on the heels of the previous years: 2023/24, 2024/25, and 2025/26. “The fact that we have once again successfully navigated the independent, multi-stage selection process is a clear team achievement involving all professional groups and proof of the consistently high quality of our medical work.”
Navigating the Hospital Landscape
The *stern* Hospital List is compiled annually in collaboration with the independent research institute Munich Inquire Media (MINQ). Among other factors, the evaluation assessed the professional reputation among physicians, patient recommendations, quality reports, certifications, and hygiene standards at more than 2,200 hospital locations in Germany. The goal is to provide patients with reliable guidance in choosing a suitable hospital.
From a sports rehabilitation center to a specialized orthopedic clinic: To support injured athletes, what is now the Specialized Clinic for Orthopedics, Trauma Surgery, Sports Medicine, and Endoprosthetics—was founded in October 1946, at a time when sports injuries were still considered a private leisure activity and were not covered by insurance. Over the past 80 years, the former “Lüdenscheid-Hellersen Sports Rehabilitation Center” and the later “Hellersen Hospital for Sports Injuries” have evolved into a specialized and internationally recognized center of excellence for modern orthopedics. It is still part of Sporthilfe NRW e.V., through which more than five million members from approximately 18,000 sports clubs in North Rhine-Westphalia are currently insured under their respective sports insurance policies.
Olympic-Level Sports Expertise As the official sports medicine examination center of the North Rhine-Westphalia State Sports Federation (LSB) and the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), the Sportklinik Hellersen also plays a central role in the bid to host the 2036, 2040, or 2044 Olympic and Paralympic Games in the Rhine-Ruhr region. “For over 25 years, our medical professionals have been caring for elite and professional athletes at the highest level,” emphasizes Dirk Burghaus. “Thanks to this expertise, we can guarantee medical care for the athletes—both during preparation and in the event of injuries, such as cruciate ligament tears, which must be treated as quickly as possible after an accident in the case of Olympic athletes.”
Meniscus and cruciate ligament injuries have been among the main treatment areas at Sportklinik Hellersen since its founding, which earned it a reputation as a “knee clinic” well beyond the region even in its early years. The range of surgical procedures extends from minimally invasive meniscus sutures to complex cruciate ligament reconstructions and revision surgeries for multiple ligament injuries. Receiving this award once again in its 80th anniversary year impressively underscores the specialization that has developed over decades: of the approximately 2,000 knee surgeries performed annually, more than 1,000 are for meniscus injuries and about 500 are for cruciate ligament reconstructions.
Supraregional Center of Excellence for Complex Spinal Medicine
At the same time, the Sportklinik has continuously expanded its range of services. Through the German Spine and Scoliosis Center, it has for several years served as a supraregional point of contact for patients with complex spinal conditions such as herniated discs, spinal stenosis, or scoliosis. In mid-2025, the range of services was expanded to include particularly gentle endoscopic, minimally invasive spinal procedures, further strengthening the center’s position as a highly specialized facility.
Focus on Specialization and Quality
“As a specialty clinic, we have earned an excellent reputation in knee surgery and sports traumatology and are among the few centers specializing in advanced spinal surgery,” explains Dirk Burghaus. “Whether they are young athletes or older adults—our patients are in the best medical hands with our highly qualified specialists and receive care tailored specifically to their individual needs.”
Press Contact
Sarah Burghaus
Head of Marketing, PR & Customer Service, Press Spokesperson
sarah.burghaus@hellersen.de
Marketing & PR
marketing@hellersen.de
