The error rate in medical sector is declining. The report of Medical Service of health insurance companies shows that in 3,337 cases of treatment, errors and damage were detected in past year. The year before, re were 3,564 cases.
In 2,690 cases, errors n caused actual health damage, 358 cases were less than 2016.
The basis for this statistic is almost 14,000 expert opinion that medical service 2017 had created in order to investigate patient allegations. Two-thirds of se suspicions concerned hospitals, which in turn largely include operations, because ir consequences for patients are easier to detect than medication errors. A third of allegations were related to treatments by a physician or doctor who had been established. Stefan Gronemeyer, vice-managing director of medical service, complained that re were always same and avoidable mistakes that could never happen – "from swabs forgotten in body to confusion of patients".
In medical fields, orthopedics and trauma surgery with one third of suspected cases, followed by internal medicine and general medicine as well as general surgery. Then comes dentistry with eight percent, to nursing area were only five percent of suspected cases.
However, a low or high number of patient allegations in a given area does not make any conclusions about risk of treatment. Especially in care, auditors confirmed most of faults – 49.8 percent of suspicions raised in this area. Then dentistry follows with 35.2 percent and in third place women's medicine with 27 percent.
The medical profession, which has its own complaints bodies, reported on its balance sheet for 2017 already at beginning of April. The number of errors found was also slightly decreased re, to 2,213 confirmed cases.
If insureds suspect that y have been treated incorrectly, y can contact health insurance companies. The cashier n orders a report. An error is if a treatment is not appropriate, accurate, accurate and timely in accordance with recognised standard.
The medical service indicates that a high number of unreported figures are to be stated. Despite all "committed efforts for more patient safety", nature and exact extent of errors are not sufficiently clear. There is a lack of a consistent strategy to improve patient safety, said Gronemeyer. This has long been a standard in internationally comparable health systems.
Date Of Update: 06 June 2018, 12:02
