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Ärztepfusch treatment errors are not uncommon
Forgotten swabs or surgical instruments in the body, an intervention to obsolete knowledge carried out: Medical errors in Germany are not uncommon. Patients are then entitled to compensation, but it can take a long time for them to get their rights. The health insurance now report on the new figures for treatment errors.
Appraisals are often not recognized in court
The Action Alliance for Patient Safety requires before the announcement of new figures on treatment errors, to shorten the path of suffering of victims to compensation. The managing director of the alliance, Hardy Müller, told the German press agency in Berlin that reports such as the medical service of the health insurance companies (MDK) would often not be recognized in court. "Especially in such cases it often takes a very long time, in the majority of cases over five years, until a procedure is completed."
Not uncommon: medical malpractice in Germany. Picture: DDRockstar / fotolia Usually many years pass before compensation
As the news agency dpa further reports, a study by the Scientific Institute of the Technician's Health Insurance Fund (WINEG) shows that in 39 percent of the cases examined, it takes five to ten years until a decision is made. And in 19 percent of cases it took even longer. The numbers were before the agency. "We must not sacrifice people for the second time," Müller demanded. Claims settlement had to be significantly improved. "The reports must be better recognized." Finally, they would be written according to international scientific standards. Moreover, it is nowadays usually imposed on the patient to obtain information about the course of treatment of doctors.
The burden of proof lies with the patients
Lawyers also see it as a problem that the burden of proof usually lies with the patient. Several experts have recently provided tips and assistance with treatment errors. So too Dr. Dr. Lovis Wambach, lawyer and specialist lawyer for medical law and medical liability law, who had advised to write down events as detailed as possible, as the memory can quickly fade. In addition, photos are often useful. The names and addresses of possible witnesses, such as bed neighbors in the hospital, should also be noted.
Fund for the compensation of patients
Hardy Müller now advocated the establishment of a patient compensation fund that could be a good supplement if very severe cases occurred. "The problem is that many sufferers can no longer work after being harmed and life is threatened by their existence. Then, for ten to fifteen years, to clarify who is liable is unreasonable. "The CEO of the Patient Safety Action Alliance countered skeptics who fear a rapid expansion of expensive cases by a new fund, there should first be a pilot project. In this can be examined how many cases would be reported at all.
More transparency required
Today, the MDK in Berlin presents its annual statistics on the development of treatment errors by physicians. It is said that the results of the health insurances' reports 2014 are explained and also how the patient safety can be improved. In the previous year, the MDK experts prepared around 14,600 expert reports on suspected treatment errors. In almost 3,700 cases, they came to the conclusion that there was actually one. The German Foundation for Patient Protection criticized the fact that MDK, regional medical associations and civil courts each had their own statistics on treatment errors. "For patients and the public, the system is intransparent," complained board Eugen Brysch to the dpa. "A nationwide central registry treatment error has to come from." Everyone can then access and find out how it looks in his hospital. "Broken down by disciplines creates trust." It also requires more transparency for physicians in private practice. (Ad)