Increased instances of healthcare treatment mistakes revealed
In 2019, the number of reported suspected medical errors at AOK stood at 16,064, according to data from the General Health Insurance Funds (AOK). Fast forward to 2024, and the eleven AOK health insurance funds in Germany reported the highest number of open suspected cases of medical errors nationwide, with over 16,000 new suspected treatment and care error cases received that year.
The data for the current year, 2020, reveals a concerning increase, with a total of 16,660 suspected medical errors reported at AOK. The majority of these cases involved treatments in orthopedics and surgery.
The source of this data is ZDFheute, a reputable German news outlet. It is important to note that as of the end of 2024, there were more open suspected medical error cases at AOK than in 2019, with a total of 20,335 open cases.
During the year, 5,335 suspected medical error cases were investigated and closed at AOK. However, the data for the number of investigated and closed suspected medical error cases in the current year is not available.
The data for the number of suspected medical errors at AOK in the current year has not been explicitly stated in the provided paragraph. Similarly, the number of open suspected medical error cases in the current year remains unknown.
The data provided by the AOK Federal Association paints a picture of a growing concern regarding medical errors in the AOK health insurance funds. It is crucial that these issues are addressed promptly to ensure the safety and well-being of all insured individuals.
[Photo credit: AOK Federal Association]
