Insurance companies count 3500 treatment errors
The auditor of the statutory health insurance funds have established in the past year, nearly 3500 errors in treatment, resulting in patients resulted in injury. In 107 cases, the error at the death that led or contributed to. For the year 2017, the experts had confirmed 3337 error.
The error statistics show, however, only a small section, so no General statements on the risk risk deriving, according to the Medical service of the box office top Association (MDS). Treatment errors are not recorded centrally. The Deputy MDS-managing Director Stefan Gronemeyer spoke of a high number of unreported cases. Studies are therefore expected, that the treatment of error around 30 undiscovered cases.
Overall, the health insurance companies received in the past year, a little more patient complaints about possible treatment errors. The experts of the Medical service of German health insurers (MDK) and tested accordingly, 14.133 such allegations, which were around 600 more than in 2017.
Almost every fourth allegation was confirmed
In almost every fourth case (3497), the experts confirmed the suspicion. In every fifth case – 2799 – it was confirmed that the defect caused the harm suffered. This is important for the victims, because only then chances of getting compensation are. The errors concern the most diverse diseases and therapies of the hip joint surgery, Tooth extractions, up to appendicitis operations.
The Medical service has complained – as in previous years, the reporting culture in medicine. The most important was to reports of serious and avoidable harm cases, such as medication confusion, mistook pages for operations or in the body of a forgotten foreign body. The only way to be avoid this “in the future, systematically,” said Gronemeyer.
Such damage events are internationally referred to as “Never Events”. This point, therefore, on the failure of an Individual, but rather to faulty processes, and weaknesses in the System. Gronemeyer called for the creation of a national Never Event list. It is mangle still a lack of systematic implementation and Review of measures to avoid errors, he criticized.
The medical Profession is reported on an annual basis, statistics on errors in treatment, because it has its own Appeal. There, the Figures fell compared to the previous year: The expert commissions and arbitration boards of the medical Profession had confirmed for 2018, a total of 1858 the treatment of errors.
To whom patients can turn to?
Who has the suspicion to be wrong have been treated, you should not hesitate too long. After three years, the claims become time-barred in the rule.
- First, the Patient should talk with the treating doctor. He is not more there are senior Doctors or the hospital management, the next contact person. In many clinics, there is a Central Complaint, to which patients can turn to.
- Doctors and Dentists offer their expert commissions and mediation bodies for medical liability disputes out of court dispute resolution and expert opinion. The method is for the patients free of charge.
- Health insurance companies provide a out-of-court legal advice or a pick of your Medical service of an expert report. The procedure can be for the patient, a crucial help in a court of law. This way is for the patients free of charge.
- Consumer organisations, self-help groups and patient Advisory centres also offer help with issues. The Independent patient counseling Germany operates under the free phone number 0800-0117722 a nationwide telephone advice.
- Finally, the way to the lawyer to advise about the legal possibilities. The lawyer cost of the Patient. In the case of the lawyer in the chambers, there are the addresses of specialised lawyers.