Leading innovator in healthcare and driving force for North Rhine-Westphalia as a sports location
FOCUS Business awards specialist clinic the seal of approval “Leading Innovator 2026”
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The Sportklinik Hellersen is one of Germany's most innovative companies and has been awarded the “Leading Innovator 2026” seal by FOCUS-Business. With 14 out of a possible 15 points, the specialist clinic achieved a near-perfect rating – well above the average of 11.4 points achieved by the 425 companies that received the award.
Four-time award winner: Strength in organizational innovation
In four out of five categories examined — strategy and innovation culture, products and services, business model, and organization — Sportklinik Hellersen achieved top marks, clearly setting itself apart from the average of the companies that received awards. Particularly noteworthy is the area of organizational innovation, where Sportklinik Hellersen stands out in particular. “Thanks to innovative structures, agile working methods, and efficient processes, the specialist clinic is able to respond flexibly to change, minimize risks, and actively drive progress. This form of organizational culture strengthens cooperation, knowledge exchange, and the creative development of employees — a decisive success factor for the future,” praises FOCUS Business
Furthermore, it is clear that the organizational structure developed at the Sportklinik Hellersen serves as a model not only in healthcare, but also in the high-performance sports environment. The close connection between sports medicine, science, and applied practice forms a cornerstone for the success of athletes in North Rhine-Westphalia – and strengthens the state's position as a potential venue for future Olympic Games.
„Innovation as an attitude“ – Medicine and sports in lockstep
"This award confirms our commitment to combining modern medicine with strategic foresight, innovative treatment methods, and an open corporate culture. We are particularly proud of our strength in organizational innovation, which sets us apart from the competition. Only through specialization, international cooperation, and the use of digital technologies can we offer the highest quality and actively help shape the standards of tomorrow,“ says Dirk Burghaus, CEO of Sportklinik Hellersen, adding: ”As the state's center of excellence for sports medicine, we also see it as our task to promote sporting excellence and to understand medical innovation as an integral part of modern sports promotion. With North Rhine-Westphalia's Olympic bid in mind, we see ourselves as a strong partner for top-level sport and as an example of how medicine and competitive sport can shape the future together."
Business models and the digital future
The Sportklinik Hellersen is also well positioned in terms of business models. It is continuously working to optimize treatment and organizational processes, implement digital solutions, and make patient care even more efficient. With the international Hellersen Hospital brand umbrella, the clinic has also created a platform that bundles medical excellence, promotes knowledge transfer, and enables new forms of collaboration.
This model also opens up new perspectives for sports medicine research and athlete care — from prevention and diagnostics to regeneration and return-to-competition support.
There is a particular focus on digitalization and the use of modern technologies. Artificial intelligence is increasingly taking center stage: in the future, it will analyze large amounts of data, recognize patterns, and relieve medical staff — with the aim of making patient care even more precise and proactive.
Medical innovation with responsibility
An outstanding example of the innovative strength of the Sportklinik Hellersen is its robotics center, which uses the VELYS™ Robotic Assisted Solution System from Johnson & Johnson MedTech Orthopaedics. The clinic is one of the first facilities in Germany to establish robot-assisted procedures as an integral part of endoprosthetics, setting new standards in the process. The combination of state-of-the-art technology and highly specialized surgical expertise enables implantations with maximum precision and individual adaptation — further proof of the Sportklinik Hellersen's role as a pioneer for the medicine of tomorrow.
This technological pioneering role also extends to competitive sports: the experience gained from robot-assisted surgery and precise motion analysis flows directly into the care of top athletes – an important component of the medical infrastructure of an Olympic venue.
“Our goal is not only to provide patients with state-of-the-art technology, but also to improve healthcare overall through innovative structures and sustainable strategies. We see innovation as a responsibility – for our patients, our employees, and the healthcare system of tomorrow,” emphasizes Dirk Burghaus.
“And this responsibility explicitly includes sports,” adds Dirk Burghaus. “Because only where medicine and sport interact at the highest level can top performances be achieved on a lasting basis – and North Rhine-Westphalia take on an international pioneering role as a sporting region.”
Between 7 and 15 points were required for the award. The Sportklinik Hellersen is one of the top 30 of the 425 companies that received the award, making it one of the most innovative companies in Germany.
