Ärztekammer Hardly any German language skills of doctors

Fewer and fewer doctors with sufficient language skills at clinics

01/02/2013

A stay in the hospital is usually associated with many inconveniences - because no patient wishes even communication problems with the professional staff. But exactly these occur according to data of the Berlin medical association more and more often, because while the German-speaking physicians would have to write the reports, foreign colleagues would take over the patient work - however often without being able to speak German.

Patients and chief physicians address criticism of the Berlin Medical Association
Thus, misunderstandings and problems are naturally inevitable: According to Günther Jonitz, the president of the Berlin Medical Association, more and more complaints would come from patients complaining about communication difficulties with their doctor. It would happen, for example, that those affected „[...] did not find a doctor who speaks German during their one-week stay in hospital“, Jonitz. Criticism would come increasingly from chief physicians, who would regret the lack of exchange with colleagues. Because here, according to Jonitz, it can be assumed that only about one third of the medical profession can speak German without a problem.

More and more German doctors go abroad
However, the situation is not new, because unfavorable working conditions in the health sector are no longer a secret and in the opinion of Jonitz also the cause of the shortage of German-speaking doctors. Because especially in hospitals, workload and stress levels are usually extremely high, while the financial remuneration is often relatively low and the image of the doctor in this country is not always and everywhere the best. Therefore, according to Günther Jonitz, more and more doctors trained in Germany would go abroad: „Whoever can, goes away, goes to other countries and works where he is considered a doctor or a nurse.“

Foreign doctors take over the care
But for a sufficient supply, the missing doctors in this country must of course be replaced. According to the President of the Berlin Medical Association, the vacant positions would usually be filled with foreign physicians - who in turn would come from countries in which there were even greater problems with the health system. These would barely have a breather here, instead it goes straight to work: „Many start with a 70-hour week, there is no time for a language course.“

In addition to the linguistic problem, Günther Jonitz sees yet another difficulty that could arise through the use of foreign physicians: For Arab doctors, who came from very wealthy countries, there is a risk that due to lower morale, working in local hospitals is not serious enough could be taken - of course with the reference that this is not generalized meant.

Patients protest
For the patients, the situation seems to be quite serious at least: According to Jonitz, more and more people would openly protest and stop their ongoing treatment due to communication difficulties. For example, a rehabilitation clinic was complained of, in which there was only one doctor for the treatments, but these could barely speak German. The lack of language skills would increase Jonitz's risk of treatment errors - hence his demands: on the one hand, politics must ensure that working conditions for doctors in Germany would be improved. And second, there must be clear framework conditions for foreign skilled workers: „Doctors who come to us must complete a compulsory, paid six-month language course, as usual in Sweden. Let's wait even longer, there are deaths due to wrong translations ... “ (Sb)

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Lack of German language skills of doctors in clinics