Clinicians quality management lowers error rate

Clinicians want to reduce the risk of error with quality management

02/11/2013

Every year around 17,000 hospital patients in Germany die from treatment errors. Experts believe that better quality management could reduce the risk of treatment errors.

17,000 deaths due to avoidable mistakes
In Germany, about 0.1 percent of all hospital patients die because of avoidable errors. Every year, this is around 17,000 people. In the opinion of the Lower Saxony Chamber of Physicians, despite the pressure on the hospitals, the risk of treatment errors can be reduced by better quality management. The Medical Association President Martina Wenker said on Friday at a symposium in Hanover that, among other things, more time was needed for dealing with the patients. These would have many doctors but now because of the work density barely.

Necessary time for patient care
Brigitte Sens, director of the Center for Quality and Healthcare Management, said that optimizing the way a hospital operates can give employees the time they need to better care for their patients. In addition, this also pay off financially. Sens further said that hospitals are currently in trouble as they should be well cared for but on the other hand their economic situation would have deteriorated.

Do not keep up with the economic pressure
The economic pressure is immense for the clinics, among other things because of the competition and lack of skilled workers. Staff and structures were lacking at several clinics to organize the measures necessary for fewer treatment errors, according to the chairman of the Association of Senior Hospital Physicians in Lower Saxony, Prof. Benno Stinner. The progress in the quality of care could not have kept up with the economic pressure.

Positive example Oldenburg
Sens mentioned as a positive example the Klinikum Oldenburg, where it can be seen that well-designed structures can lead to fewer glitches. Thus, there is a meticulous preparation for the care of premature babies in low complication rates, the absence of avoidable complications and infections as well as a lower consumption of medicines. The little patients could also leave the clinic there sooner.

Not who but what is to blame
The experts also said that it had a positive effect on fighting treatment gaps, that is now openly handled at the clinics with errors. Instead of cover-up, it is now important to draw lessons from glitches. Earlier it was said: „who's to blame?“, Today, people ask: „What is to blame?“ The experts also believe that the risk of error in treatment errors can be reduced, but the increasing number of elderly people will inevitably lead to more complications in the future. (Ad)

Image: Dieter Schütz