Christiane Volkheimer

Even as a school girl, Dr. Christiane Volkheimer was fascinated by sociology, philosophy, art and literature, and regularly attended lectures by members of the “Frankfurt School.” Through her university studies in the general humanities, she was to deepen her knowledge of these disciplines before deciding to pursue a career in natural sciences and commencing her medical studies.

Her courageous willingness to drive change, to create new ideas and to pass on knowledge led her on to move from Düsseldorf to Leipzig to practice as a radiologist. She was determined to contribute to the spirit of Aufbau Ost, to pass on her experience and knowledge in the field of diagnostic radiology, in practice management and to help set up medical infrastructure in the east of the country. The short stay Christiane Volkheimer had originally planned became more than 20 years working as a radiologist in Leipzig with special expertise in nuclear medicine in the institute she co-founded (ZRN Leipzig).

Scientific curiosity and the will to drive change constantly inspired her and her team to develop their examination methods and therapies at the ZRN Leipzig. The medical technology that the team used was always cutting edge. They managed to optimize processes relating to medical findings, for example, at the same time as continually expanding the practice. Together with Dr. Susanne Schenk and a team of experienced advisors, she initiated the original idea of creating a multi-practice clinic at Johannisplatz and made it a reality.

What is certain is that this successful development would not have been possible without the vision, and without the legal and commercial advice that she received from her husband, Hanns W. Jost.

Born in Berlin

1993
Foundation of an interdisciplinary radiological and nuclear medicine joint practice in Leipzig (today named ZRN Leipzig – Center for Radiology and Nuclear Medicine at Johannisplatz, zrn-leipzig.de) by radiologist Dr. Christiane Volkheimer and resident doctor in nuclear medicine, Dr. Susanne Schenk.

Juli 1993
The practice begins its work, initially from a specially constructed container complex in the northern Leipzig.

Investment in state-of-the-art medical technology – from conventional X-ray diagnostic equipment to the latest technology of cross-sectional diagnostic imaging (magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography).

Constant expansion of the range of services offered, including a focus on pediatric radiology and neuroradiology through new medical specialists joining the team.

The overriding goal is to establish the clinic on firm basis. The idea emerges of creating a specialist center for interdisciplinary outpatient diagnostics and therapy in the center of Leipzig.

November 2001
Moved the practice to the “Multipractice clinic at Johannisplatz“ (Praxisklinik am Johannisplatz):

The move into the new premises also brought with it an extension to the medical technology available to the ZRN Leipzig with the addition of new state-of-the-art diagnostic systems.

Full digitization through the installation of a RIS / PACS system, including speech recognition. In-house IT administration run by Wolfgang Volkheimer.

2003
Development of a tele-radiological network for the exchange of images and documentation on findings. Pilot project in close cooperation with the “St. Georg” Municipal Hospital and with network provider HL komm.

2005
Certification of ZRN Leipzig as an approved outpatient partner of the North-West Saxony Breast Center – with sites at the “St. Georg “ Municipal Hospital in Leipzig and at the Torgau regional hospital. In addition to this, the practice also cooperated closely with other certified breast centers at St. Elisabeth Hospital, Leipzig University and the Helios Clinics.

2006/2007 bis 2011
Enlargement of the practice premises, made possible by the structural extension of the multi-practice clinic at Johannisplatz. Installation of a third magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine and another high-performance computed tomography scanner and a positron emission tomography computer tomograph device (PET-CT).
A 3-D ultrasound machine, a digital mammography system with tomosynthesis and a new digital X-ray system were added later.

2008
Establishment of two specialized outpatient centers within the ZRN Leipzig:
– Outpatient Diagnostic Breast Center at Johannisplatz
– Thyroid Center at Johannisplatz

2010
Further education / Fellowship in the field of”PET-CT” at the Clinic for Nuclear Medicine of the University Hospital at Zurich, together with Dr. Susanne Schenk, and later with other doctors at the ZRN Leipzig.

31. Dezember 2014
Retired from medical practice. Left the ZRN Leipzig after 21 years as founder, co-owner and managing partner.

By that time, ZRN Leipzig had grown to include no less than 14 associate specialists and a total of about 50 employees.

1996/1997
From within the practice the idea began to form to design a specialized interdisciplinary outpatient diagnostic and therapeutic center. The project was commissioned by the founding members of the practice, and construction began at a site on Johannisplatz.

The medical conceptual design for the project was drawn up by medicadt GmbH, Düsseldorf,
Prof. Bodo Schönheit of Berlin, doctor of natural sciences Ralf Grassow, of Remscheid and Berlin, and Hanns W. Jost, also of Berlin. The building complex was designed by the Potsdam-based architect Rüdiger Flender.

The developer, owner and landlord of the building complex is Weishaupt Immobilien GbR.

End of 2001
Practices begin their activities in the complex for the first time.

2006/2007
First expansion of the original clinic.

2014
Completion of an additional free-standing building in the courtyard of the multi-practice clinic in a third phase of construction. As a result, the total area of the multi-practice clinic at Johannisplatz increased from 12,500 m² to 14,600 m² of useful space.