DGAP-News: RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG (english)

RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG: Analyst Conference 2008



RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG / Forecast/Quarter Results



06.11.2008



Release of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG.

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announcement.

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* Forecast for 2008 reaffirmed

* Expectations for financial year 2009 positive: Revenues of 2.3 billion

euros, net consolidated profit between 125 and 135 million euros

* RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG embraces integrated growth strategy

* Dr. Straub first medical doctor in Board of Management



Bad Neustadt, 6 November 2008 ----- At today's Analyst Conference the

Company informed about its expectations for financial year 2009. The

chairman of the Board of Management, Wolfgang Pföhler, moreover made

detailed statements on the recently announced orientation of the Board of

Management to the Company's integrated growth strategy.



Forecast for 2008 reaffirmed



The 9-month figures for 2008 reveal that RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG has continued its

growth course and that increases have been once again recorded in the most

important key figures - patient numbers, revenues and earnings.



In the first nine months of 2008, the Group's hospitals treated 1.24

million patients (+ 6.6%) and generated revenues of 1.59 billion euros (+

4.9%), with net consolidated profit reaching 89.2 million euros (+ 2.6 %)

in the first three quarters. The Company has succeeded in expanding

operative performance despite extraordinary burdens from legislation and

the sharp rise in the costs of personnel and materials, which is why the

forecast for financial year 2008 is reaffirmed: revenues of 2.1 billion

euros, earnings of 123 million euros.



Expectations for financial year 2009 positive



The Company expects to see a positive development in 2009: 'The healthcare

market is crisis-resistant and largely unaffected by short-term

developments on the financial markets and swings in the economic cycle.

Demand for good medical care is rising as society greys, people gain

greater awareness of the health and progress in medicine advances. For

these reasons we see a growth path for our Group which is clearly marked

out over the coming years' Pföhler explained.



The framework conditions for the healthcare market remain challenging. 'The

anticipated amendments to hospital financing are bringing a certain degree

of relief. These are set against rising personnel and material costs',

Pföhler said. 'Overall, we will expand our market position. Our plan

developed for the next financial year is sound and conservative, and we are

certain that we will be able to achieve the stated targets', the chairman

of the Board of Management said confidently.



For financial year 2009, rising revenues and rising net consolidated profit

are expected. Irrespective of further hospital acquisitions the Company is

targeting revenues of roughly 2.3 billion euros. 'We put our earnings

target for 2009 at a net consolidated profit of roughly 130 million euros -

but in view of the opportunities and risks see a deviation of plus or minus

5 million euros as possible' said the chairman of the Board of Management.



RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG embraces integrated growth



Wolfgang Pföhler provided detailed information on the Company's orientation

towards the integrated growth strategy: 'By establishing our two-step

healthcare offering, we want to draw on performance reserves, set a

benchmark for ensuring the viability of care, offer people good medicine

and exploit quality and efficiency reserves at the interface between

sectors. We are expanding our medical offering with the new division

Outpatient-Inpatient Basic and Standard Care. The solid basis of our growth

strategy continues to be provided by our original business field of acute

inpatient care.'



The Group's core principles of medical understanding were especially

highlighted by Pföhler: 'Our seal of quality is the independent medicine

practised by doctors at our Company. This is what RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG has

stood for in the past and will continue to stand for in future', remarked

the chairman of the Board of Management. 'Dr. Christoph Straub, working

together with the doctors of RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG, will forge ahead with the

integration of state-of-the-art medicine within our network of hospitals

and moreover assume responsibility for medical quality management and the

further training and higher-qualification of doctors. I am pleased to have

found in Dr. Straub a doctor to build bridges for us between the sectors',

explained the chairman of the Board of Management.



Wolfgang Pföhler provided detailed information on the further orientation

of the Company's executive team and the implementation of the integrated

growth strategy. In finance policy, the Company assigns a key role to

continuity. The outgoing CFO, Dietmar Pawlik, will be succeeded by Dr. Erik

Hamann as deputy member of the Board of Management for the division

Finance, Investor Relations and Controlling who will ensure consistency in

the Company's long-term oriented finance policy. Dr. Hamann currently heads

the division Group Controlling at RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG.



In conclusion Pföhler emphasised: 'My goal is to further develop

RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG from being traditional hospital operator into a healthcare

provider.'





Dr. Irmgard Stippler

Divisional Head of Corporate Communication

Telephone: +49 9771 65-1321

FAX: +49 9771 65-1306

E-Mail: irmgard.stippler@rhoen-klinikum-ag.com





06.11.2008 Financial News transmitted by DGAP



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Language: English

Issuer: RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG

Schlossplatz 1

97616 Bad Neustadt a.d.Saale

Deutschland

Phone: +49 (0)9771 - 65-0

Fax: +49 (0)9771 - 97 467

E-mail: fire.ir@rhoen-klinikum-ag.com

Internet: www.rhoen-klinikum-ag.com

ISIN: DE0007042301

WKN: 704230

Indices: MDAX

Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard), München;

Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Stuttgart



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