More than 12,500 treatment error allegations

Treatment Error Statistics 2011 discloses errors in medical care

06.09.2012

Many medical treatments do not take the desired course. Treatment errors are often the cause of significant complications. More than 12,500 patients reported to the Medical Service of the Health Insurance (MDK) in 2011 on suspicion of a treatment error, and in around a third of the cases, the review found that the treatment was incorrect.

As reported by the medical service of the health insurance companies on presentation of the treatment error statistics 2011 on Wednesday in Berlin, 12,686 allegations of a treatment error were submitted and examined in the past year. In every third case (32 percent), the experts of the MDK confirmed the allegation of malpractice. Most of the accusations were directed against hospitals, but also the work of practicing doctors was more frequently criticized.

Almost 12,700 treatment error reproaches of the patients
„As patients, we want the best possible treatment and one that is error-free. Nevertheless, it always happens that mistakes are made“, explained the deputy managing director of the medical service of the top federation federation of the health insurance companies (MDS), Dr. med. Stefan Gronemeyer. Since the patients themselves do not have the expertise to prove the treating physicians in case of doubt, a treatment error, they can contact the health insurance and get there from the MDK a substantiated expert opinion. A total of 12,686 patients took advantage of this opportunity in 2011, with 67 percent of treatment error reproaches (8,509 cases) targeted against hospitals and only one third (4,177 cases) against GPs. Overall, 4,068 treatment errors were confirmed in the assessment of the MDK (32 percent of reported cases). „In the clinics were behind 30 percent of the complaints actually treatment errors, in the medical practices were 36.1 percent of the allegations“, so the message of the MDS. Three-quarters of the confirmed treatment errors (75.1 percent) resulted in a loss of health for the patients, according to the figures from the treatment error statistics.

Many treatment errors in surgery, dentistry and gynecology
The number of patient complaints differed greatly in the various medical disciplines. Thus, according to the statement of the head doctor of social medicine of the MDK Bavaria, Prof. Dr. med. Astrid Zobel, „The surgical departments of orthopedics / accident surgery and general surgery are most often confronted with treatment error reproaches.“ Altogether, the assessors in the field of orthopedics and traumatology counted 3,539 cases, of which just under a third were legitimate treatment error reproaches. 2,343 cases were in general surgery, with 29.2 percent confirmed as treatment errors. Also in the field of dentistry and gynecology relatively many cases have been reported. The proportion of reported treatment errors in reported cases was particularly high in care (642 cases, 50.8 percent confirmed treatment errors) and dentistry (1,123 cases, 42.8 percent confirmed treatment errors). „In relation to the number of allegations, most treatment errors in nursing, dentistry and gynecology and obstetrics are confirmed“, explained Prof. Astrid Zobel. However, a distinction must be made between treatment errors in inpatient and outpatient care.

Number of reported treatment errors by specialty
In addition to dentistry, orthopedics / trauma surgery, general surgery and internal medicine, outpatient treatment errors are more frequently related to ophthalmology (249 cases, 38.2 percent treatment errors) and general practice (179 cases, 44.1 percent treatment errors). Inpatient treatment, MDK also included gynecology and obstetrics (818 cases, 31.4 percent treatment errors) and neurosurgery (420 cases, 29.8 percent treatment errors), urology (254 cases, 21.7 percent treatment errors), Otorhinolaryngology (202 cases, 21.8 percent treatment errors) and anesthesiology and intensive care (180 cases, 35.0 percent treatment errors) frequent patient complaints. However, according to Prof. Zobel, no conclusions can be drawn from this with regard to the general quality of treatment in the departments, since the reported treatment error reproaches were not related to the total number of treatments in the respective specialist area. „Nevertheless, in the future we will have to deepen our analyzes in the subjects, which show a particularly high confirmation rate“, explained the expert of the MDK Bavaria.

Many treatment errors in knee joint arthrosis, hip osteoarthritis and dental caries
According to the MDS, knee joint arthrosis (604 cases, 26.3 percent confirmed treatment errors), hip arthrosis (504 cases, 27.8 percent confirmed treatment errors) and dental caries (287 cases) are among the most frequently reported medical conditions , 46.7 percent confirmed treatment errors) relatively far ahead. But also fractures of the thigh (290 cases, 38.3 percent confirmed treatment errors), inflammation of the dental nerve (217 cases, 49.8 percent confirmed treatment errors), lower leg fractures (241 cases, 35.3 percent confirmed treatment errors), forearm fractures (170 cases, 39.4 percent confirmed treatment errors) and disc damage (202 cases, 28.7 percent confirmed treatment errors) are more frequent causes of patient discomfort.

Medical service of the health insurance supports the patients
The processing of the treatment error reproaches is associated with a considerable amount of work since „All areas of medical activity - from diagnosis to therapy to documentation - scrutinized“ become. Specialized review teams of the MDK work on the complaints of patients and patients „The question is whether the treatment has expired according to the recognized medical standard“, explains MDS in its latest release. Confirmed the treatment error, will „It also checks to see if the damage suffered by the patient has actually been caused by the error“, because only then claims for damages are promising. The assessment by the medical service of health insurance is free of charge for the patients. In most cases, the treatment error reproaches are directed against therapeutic measures and in fact the MDK reviewers reported treatment errors predominantly in therapeutic interventions (41.3 percent), in therapy management (23.6 percent) and in the diagnosis (23.1 percent).. „Only then followed documentation and reconnaissance deficiencies and care errors“, reports the MDS. „In our experience, a significant number of treatment errors lead to a chain of omissions“, Prof. Zobel continues. „Here, in-depth analyzes must be used to uncover systematic deficiencies and to be able to develop concrete recommendations for action“, demanded the expert.

New Patient Rights Act brings further improvement
Special praise was given to the deputy managing director of the MDS for the planned revision of the Patients' Rights Act, in which a target rule is made from the optional solution for the health insurance funds in support of the insured. „As medical services, we support the intention of the bill to expand the support of insured persons in the investigation of treatment errors into a regular service“, stressed Gronemeyer. „Our goal as a medical service is first and foremost to support the victims in an interest-neutral manner“, so the deputy MDS boss on. However, the processing of the reported cases also offers general advantages. Because who wants to avoid mistakes, must „First, know where and how they happen.“ (Fp)

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