Annual statistics 2021: Medical service finds 3,665 treatment errors

The Medical Service (MD) has confirmed 3,665 treatment errors for the past year.

In 2,709 of these cases, the error led to patient damage, according to the MD's 2021 annual statistics presented in Berlin on Thursday.

The number of undiscovered treatment errors is probably much higher: "Experts assume that only about three percent of all avoidable adverse events are tracked," said MD CEO Stefan Gronemeyer.

Unchanged level

According to the information, the medical service had prepared 13,050 specialist reports on suspected treatment errors last year.

In every fourth case, an error was confirmed and damage was found.

This proportion has remained at an “unchanged level” over the years.

In 130 cases, the reports identified serious but easily avoidable errors.

"A 39-year-old man was operated on the healthy left knee instead of the affected right knee," reported Gronemeyer as an example.

Forgotten surgical material in the body and the mix-up of patients or medication are also such "never events".

The medical service called for a reporting requirement for this.

Reports should be confidential and anonymous.

Surgical errors are the easiest to detect

Around two thirds of all allegations of treatment (8,690 cases) related to treatment in hospitals, one third to medical practices (4,339 cases).

This is due to the fact that most of the allegations relate to surgical interventions, which are often inpatient.

According to the information, 30 percent of all allegations related to orthopedics and accident surgery, around 12 percent to internal medicine and general medicine.

The numbers are not representative because the MD does not record treatment errors across the board, but only bundles the results of the assessments in the statistics.

"An accumulation of allegations in a specialist area says nothing about the security in the respective area," explained Astrid Zobel, senior physician at the Bavarian Medical Service.

However, errors in surgical procedures are easier for patients to recognize than, for example, medication errors.

The expert opinions are prepared on behalf of the statutory health insurers.

In three steps, it is checked whether treatment errors actually occurred, whether the insured person suffered damage and whether the error caused the damage.