Higher patient safety and treatment quality, also in outpatient care
26.09.2023 12:23
Patients have a right to quality and safety of treatment. These two factors are at the heart of the desired changes through hospital reform. Another aspect is the politically desired outpatient treatment. But how can good medicine be brought to the area? Especially in view of the figures for medical error assessments in 2022, a need for action is apparent. Technology to support clinical decisions enables necessary improvements.
Every fourth inpatient treatment in Germany should be outpatient. The reasons – from demographic change and a shortage of skilled workers to medical and digital progress through to economic efficiency and political will – are obvious. Consequently, the quality assurance of outpatient treatment must be strengthened to ensure that the same high standards apply as in inpatient care. But there is also a need for optimization there.
Treatment error assessment 2022: the same errors over and over again, at the same level
The Federal Medical Service (MD Bund) prepared over 13,000 expert reports in 2022. In every fourth case, an error that caused damage was identified; In every fifth case, the error was the cause of the damage suffered. The number of unreported cases is enormous; According to MD Bund, experts estimate the number of treatment errors to be one percent of all hospital treatments. [1] In addition to the serious consequences for patients, these errors entail significant risks for hospitals in terms of liability, follow-up costs as well as image and thus market positioning.
Further increase in risks
This situation may worsen as the proportion of outpatient versus inpatient services increases. Since the increased outpatient procedures cannot be (fully) taken over by the private practice sector in terms of resources, hospitals must adapt to this task. Outpatient treatment brings with it new methods and new requirements for the specialist staff in hospitals. In this phase of drastic changes and relearning in a time of blatant work intensification, the good news is: hospitals can arm themselves.
Safety through clinical decision support
Digital tools are available to meet the new need for knowledge: Systems to support clinical decisions enable practitioners to make well-founded decisions - when it comes to diagnosis and therapy. They thereby contribute to increasing patient safety and increasing clinical effectiveness.
A knowledge resource like UpToDate offers valid, trustworthy evidence thanks to a competent editorial team and a rigorous editorial process. The system to support clinical decision-making with its practice-relevant, step-by-step recommendations for action is established in German university clinics and hospitals. With easy access to essential drug information and databases, UpToDate can also be used to bring together clinical and medication-specific decision-making along the patient journey. Maximum security in treatment, even in the event of new imponderables, for example due to the reform - with this decision-making support, service providers ensure competence and quality, even in increasingly networked healthcare.