Since there is little data on patient safety in outpatient care so far, a health care researcher from Marburg has obtained data on problems with the help of a survey of 10,000 people older than 39 years. Max Geraedts explains that surveys of this kind are rare, not only in Germany. Nor are there any constructive analysis results internationally on problem and safety aspects in outpatient care, which, according to the evaluation of patient reports using specially developed questionnaires, mainly concern general medical care in 44 percent of cases, but also orthopaedic (15 percent) and internal consultations (10 percent): According to this, 14 percent of all respondents reported problems. 61 percent of them complained about inadequate anamnesis and inadequate diagnoses, which even led to consequences such as long-lasting pain and a deterioration of the state of health, all according to the patients‘ perception. In addition, 35 percent of the patients suffered permanent damage as a result of outpatient treatment, but in 14 percent of cases even emergency medical treatment and hospital stays (10 percent). In 31 percent of the incidents, there were less dramatic second consultations. The results of the survey can be used to strive for improvements in outpatient care. However, the data material can also be usefully applied when critical treatment situations need to be identified and targeted intervention is required to develop problems for prevention.
