Headscarf ban doctor's office

A doctor in Hesse has issued a headscarf ban for his practice. Does he thereby violate his contract medical duty? The Kassenärtzliche Vereinigung and the Landesärztekammer check possible sanctions against the doctor.

(03.09.2010) Are the rules of a Hessian general practitioner still in conformity with the contract doctor's duty? A family doctor from the Hessian town of Wächtersbach has issued a so-called headscarf ban for Muslim patients. In addition, the doctor insists on basic knowledge of the German language. Also, families should not bring more than five children. The regional newspaper "Gelnhäuser Neue Zeitung" had reported on the "rules" of the general practitioner. Now threaten the general practitioner due to its "rules of the game" sanctions.

To the news agency "dpa" the doctor confirmed the report of the newspaper. The reason for the established rules are, according to the doctor, the long-standing problems in the treatment of patients of Muslim origin. On this occasion, the doctor formulated these "rules of the game" and hung the rooms of his practice.

According to regional press threatens the doctor now consequences by the Kassenärztliche Vereinigung and the Landesärztekammer Hessen. As a spokesman for the Association of Healthcare Associations said: "the notice is reprehensible and absolutely unacceptable, the doctor is very much in breach of his contract medical duty and we are considering whether to institute disciplinary proceedings". Also on the part of the State Medical Association threatens the doctor penalties. So they had forwarded the case to the Legal Department, to check the "rules of the game" of the doctor. (Sb)