AOK Report shows 190,000 errors in clinics

„AOK Hospital Report“ reports problems with every 100th treatment

01/21/2014

Anyone who seeks treatment in a hospital should be able to assume that they are in good hands. But obviously treatment errors are anything but rare: like the current one „AOK Hospital Report“ shows that about every 100th treatment goes awry, which corresponds to almost 190,000 treatments per year at around 18.6 million cases per year.

More fatalities due to errors in the hospital than accidents on the roads
The Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse (AOK) warns of a high number of errors in treatment in German hospitals. Like the cashier in her current „AOK Hospital Report“ reported, it can be assumed that every 100th treatment a mistake happened, which would mean according to the Federal Medical Association at last 18.6 million hospital cases almost 190,000 problematic treatments. Accordingly, according to the AOK, patients are at risk for ailments or even fatalities, „Every year more people die as a result of mistakes in the hospital than accidents on the road, "reports the health insurance company.

Alone 8607 allegations only with the medical service of health insurance
For example, the medical service of the health insurance (MDK) for the year 2012 in the inpatient sector 8607 reports allegations of patients against latches, which had been confirmed in 29.5% of cases. All in all, however, it can be assumed here that tens of thousands of patients would complain about their treatment in hospitals every year - sometimes at their health insurance companies, at other medical offices or directly in court.

In orthopedics and trauma surgery and surgery especially many allegations
The reasons for the complaints are manifold - they range from forgotten surgical equipment in the patient's body, to incorrect medication and infections. Especially the fields of orthopedics and accident surgery (2,689 reproaches / 788 confirmed cases), but also the surgery (1,840 / 481), internal medicine (773/189) and gynecology and obstetrics (724/214) were according to the „Annual statistics 2012 for treatment error assessment“ Of the MDK particularly frequently affected by reproaches - thereby was „For inpatient treatment, the high confirmation rate in nursing is conspicuous“, so continue the medical service of health insurance. But these numbers are not likely to be misinterpreted by the MDK either: „However, it must be pointed out that these abnormalities do not permit a reliable statement on the quality of treatment of individual specialties. At first they only reflect the accuracy of the respective allegations.“

„Doctors make mistakes, but we are not pranks“
Also on the part of the doctors is repeatedly pointed out that in case of a treatment error is not easy „botch“ the doctor could be spoken: „Such a statement is not covered by any serious statistics. Doctors make mistakes, but we are not pranks“, so Dr. Andreas Crusius, Chairman of the Standing Committee of Expert Commissions and Conciliation Agencies. Therefore, botch is basically the same as a deliberately negligent work to save costs - „there is cover-up after bungling - that's exactly what we do not want. And that's why we publish our statistics regularly“, Crusius continued. Instead of „botch“ Rather, in most cases, organizational shortcomings and the increasing number of difficult interventions are the reason for mistakes.

Comparison list planned for treatment success of hospitals on the Internet
According to the „dpa“ Federal Health Minister Hermann Gröhe (CDU) has already responded to the latest figures and announced that, in relation to the coalition agreement between the Union and the SPD, the aim is to make the success of treatment more of a benchmark for patients. Accordingly, for example, a new institute should evaluate patients' data on success or problems in treatments, which should make it possible to have a comparative list of treatment success rates of hospitals available on the Internet. (Ag)