Based on the recent annual statistics provided by the Medical Service, the German social association SoVD (Sozialverband Deutschland) is calling for a significant strengthening of patient rights. Michaela Engelmeier, the head of SoVD, demands a lower threshold for proving the connection between medical errors and resulting harm, as well as a legal obligation for healthcare providers to inform patients about treatment errors even if they are not explicitly asked about them.
Engelmeier further stated that the completeness of medical records must be confirmed in writing. Furthermore, if providers refuse to provide information or grant access to files, this refusal must carry tangible legal consequences, potentially leading to a reversal of the burden of proof.
The recent figures underscore the urgency of these demands. According to the annual assessment report presented by the Medical Service at federal and state levels in Berlin last Thursday, almost 3,100 medical treatment errors were confirmed across Germany in the past year. Of these cases, errors were found to be the cause of damage in 2,700 instances-a reality that SoVD head Engelmeier described as “reaffirms a sobering reality.”
