Over 40,000 treatment errors in the last year

Still too many treatment errors in German medical practices and clinics

05/17/2013

Last year, around 23,000 patients complained of medical errors. In about a third of the complaints were actually recognized in a medical opinion. According to the medical service of the statutory health insurance funds, the number of unreported cases is significantly higher. Many sufferers do not complain or the complaints are not recorded statistically.

Often treatment errors by dentists
For a long time the myth of the „Demigod in white“. More and more patients look their doctors more clearly on the fingers. Medical professionals make mistakes not only in clinics but also in outpatient medical practices. In some cases, for example, misplaced medications can even lead to death. According to the Medical Service, most of the therapy errors happen to the dentists.

Of these, 12,484 were examined by an opinion of the Medical Service of Health Insurance. In about one third of cases the treatment error was recognized. For 2012, the medical service of the health insurance thus confirmed exactly 3932 treatment errors. Although the number is still high, the case numbers are below those of the previous year.

In addition, the medical profession last year asked about 11,000 patients at the assessment offices. Again, the proportion of confirmed cases was about one third. Officially, the case numbers will not be announced to the public until next month.

Most outpatient medical errors occur in the dental field. Dentistry therapies, caries therapies, bridges and root canal treatments are the most commonly affected. In the inpatient area, most patients complained of treatment errors in hip or knee surgery.

The experts assume that „the dark figure of therapeutic errors is much higher“. Numerous cases, which are negotiated in German courts or cleared by insurance, are not included in the statistics. „It would be a sheer speculation to call totals“, according to the vice-manager of the medical service of the health insurance association Stefan Gronemeyer.

Around 40,000 treatment errors last year
Some estimates assume that around 40,000 patients in Germany complain about errors made by doctors at the health insurance funds, courts, insurance companies or medical offices every year. In two-thirds of cases the treatment errors in the inpatient area (clinics) would happen. Another third occurs in medical practices.

In addition to the dental field, mistakes in orthopedic surgery are particularly frequent. In this area alone, there were about 6000 suspected therapy errors. It's not always the doctor's fault, Gronemeyer emphasized. Often there is also a failure of the management. Problematic were lack of agreement, insufficient controls and poor planning. (Sb)

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Picture: Martin Büdenbender