Study finds 'chain of errors' among doctors
German doctors made over 4,000 errors last year, a new health insurers' survey found. Around a third of patients' complaints against hospitals and doctors' practices were upheld.
Researchers at the Medical Service of Health Insurers (MDK) vetted 12,686 complaints submitted by patients in 2011, and found that 4,070 were justified. In three-quarters of the confirmed complaints, the mistakes led to health problems.
The complaints were mainly directed against orthopaedists and surgeons, with the most errors occurring in the treatment of knee and hip osteoarthritis. Complaints about mistakes in operations on broken arms and breast cancer were also common, the survey found.
"In our experience, a lot of the treatment mistakes led to a chain of errors," said MDK spokeswoman Astrid Zobel.
The MDK has been making a yearly assessment of patients' complaints since 1995.
A new law passed in May expanded patients' rights by putting the onus on doctors to prove that they haven't made an error when a patient makes a serious complaint. In simpler cases, patients still have to prove that the doctor's error led to the harm.
The Local/bk
Comments
See Also
Researchers at the Medical Service of Health Insurers (MDK) vetted 12,686 complaints submitted by patients in 2011, and found that 4,070 were justified. In three-quarters of the confirmed complaints, the mistakes led to health problems.
The complaints were mainly directed against orthopaedists and surgeons, with the most errors occurring in the treatment of knee and hip osteoarthritis. Complaints about mistakes in operations on broken arms and breast cancer were also common, the survey found.
"In our experience, a lot of the treatment mistakes led to a chain of errors," said MDK spokeswoman Astrid Zobel.
The MDK has been making a yearly assessment of patients' complaints since 1995.
A new law passed in May expanded patients' rights by putting the onus on doctors to prove that they haven't made an error when a patient makes a serious complaint. In simpler cases, patients still have to prove that the doctor's error led to the harm.
The Local/bk
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.