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Treatment errors in the north: Patients demand more transparency!
Patients in Schleswig-Holstein are reporting fewer treatment errors, but the number of unreported cases remains high. Experts call for improvements.
Treatment errors in the north: Patients demand more transparency!
In northern Germany, patients who think about a treatment error are often alone. The feeling of being left alone in the medical system is becoming ever stronger and is causing a loss of trust in doctors. The Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) is reporting a total of 312 suspected cases of treatment errors for 2024 - a decrease compared to 349 reports in the previous year. But as the TK reports, the number of unreported cases is probably much higher, because many patients seek help from ombudsmen and health insurance companies if they are dissatisfied with their treatment. KN Online gets to the point.
The head of the TK representative in Schleswig-Holstein, Sören Schmidt-Bodenstein, emphasizes the need for more transparency in the healthcare system. Although around a third of the reported treatment errors were confirmed, the most common problems can be found in the areas of surgery, diagnostics, communication and aftercare. The TK therefore calls for a legal obligation to report treatment errors in medical facilities.
The highest risks in treatment
The AOK Nordwest has also published new figures: For 2024, the fund recorded 262 suspected cases of treatment errors, which corresponds to an increase compared to 242 reports in 2023. Treatment errors occur particularly frequently in surgical disciplines such as surgery, orthopedics, gynecology and dentistry. About 20 percent of cases actually turn out to be medical errors. TK In this context, points out the variety of treatment errors: from mixed-up medications to incorrect operations. Surgery is the specialty with the most common errors at 34 percent, followed by dentistry (18 percent).
Dr. Jens Baas, the CEO of TK, describes the difficult situation in which those affected often find themselves: Long procedures, tactics of liability insurance and data protection problems represent hurdles that hinder quick clarification. The TK commissioned 2,469 medical reports for its members in 2024 and offers a hotline for affected insured persons.
Education and support for those affected
An important need for patients is often a clarifying conversation with the responsible doctor. This also confirms the Federal Ministry of Health, which recommends that you first contact the hospital's complaints management department or the treating doctor directly. In some federal states there are even statutory patient advocates who provide advice in clarifying treatment errors.
When it comes to the question of claims for damages, statutory health insurance companies can help you free of charge. In addition, expert reports from the medical service can be obtained to check the quality of the treatment. The medical profession itself has set up expert commissions and arbitration boards to support patients in these difficult cases.
In summary, medical errors are a serious issue that puts a strain on both trust in the healthcare system and the relationship between patients and doctors. However, dealing with these incidents prudently and a transparent exchange could help to restore lost trust and improve the situation sustainably.