By Michael Sauerbier
Which hospital for an important operation? A nationwide clinic comparison should soon help patients make their decision. But the hospitals fear the quality comparison – because some perform poorly.
The Bundestag has just decided: From May, a hospital atlas will be available on the Internet to show which clinics are particularly good at cancer, heart or hip operations – and which are not. For a total of 65 common diseases. An important decision-making aid for all patients.
Until now, patients have had little insight: they only find out which clinic performs certain operations particularly frequently. This is important because experienced doctors make fewer mistakes. But the federal states keep the number of complications and deaths due to incorrect treatment to themselves.
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD): “Patients have a right to know what clinics do” Photo: picture alliance/dpa
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) now wants to provide clarity with the “Hospital Transparency Directory”. In addition to the number of cases, the new hospital atlas will also list the number of specialists and nurses – and the complications after procedures.
► Outrage from the clinic bosses! “The transparency directory can damage the reputation of many hospitals,” complains Detlef Troppens, who leads Brandenburg’s state hospital association. A ranking of good and bad clinics is created.
Troppens fears: “Hospitals will collapse. I see black for small clinics in the country.”
Brandenburg’s Health Minister Ursula Nonnemacher (Greens) fears for the small rural hospitals Photo: Paul Zinken/dpa
Brandenburg’s Health Minister Ursula Nonnemacher (Greens) shares the concern. “We have one of the oldest and sickest populations in Germany,” said the former hospital doctor. “An 85-year-old with previous illnesses has more complications than a 40-year-old.” Nonnemacher wants to maintain every clinic location.
The health insurance companies, however, welcome the clinic comparison. Operations go wrong three times more often in bad hospitals than in good ones, the AOK found.
But the hospital atlas also has weaknesses. The biggest one: The clinics provide all the data themselves. The health insurance companies complain that they are not checked.