World Patient Safety Day 2025: Experts call for more protection for children
15.09.2025 18:02
The safety of children in the healthcare system must be a top priority. This is the demand of the Alliance for Patient Safety (APS), the KKH health insurance company, and the German Society for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (DGKJ) on the occasion of World Patient Safety Day on September 17. A recent forsa survey reveals growing uncertainty among parents, while experts are calling for systematic improvements in pediatric medicine.
Under the motto "Patient Safety from Childhood Onward – An Investment for Life," the APS (German Society for Patient Safety) is focusing this year on the particularly vulnerable group of children and newborns. The figures from the World Health Organization (WHO) are alarming: Up to 70 percent of serious adverse events in newborns could be prevented through consistent safety protocols. According to the WHO, inadequate team communication triples the risk of harm in newborns. In almost 40 percent of serious complications, there are warning signs that can be recognized hours beforehand – these simply need to be seen and interpreted correctly in time.
„Children are not just small adults. This statement is more than a medical truism; it’s a mandate,“ emphasizes Dr. Ruth Hecker, Chair of the APS. Care must take into account the age, size, development, and language abilities of young patients. Parents play a central role in this: they act as a bridge between the treatment team and the child and often notice changes that might escape medical staff. „We should listen very carefully,“ says Hecker.
Pediatric medicine as the stepchild of health policy
The structural problems of pediatric medicine have been neglected for years. Dr. Christian Deindl, deputy chairman of the APS (Association of Pediatricians) and a pediatric surgeon, criticizes the unfair distribution of resources in the healthcare system. He argues that pediatric medicine requires care and empathy and demands corresponding time and personnel resources. While relatively high healthcare costs are incurred in the first years of life for preventative checkups and vaccination programs, the economic and societal benefits only become apparent later in adulthood. "Providing safe healthcare for infants, toddlers, school-aged children, and adolescents requires age-appropriate specialist focus areas and expertise," explains Deindl.
Growing anxieties among parents
At the same time, uncertainty among parents is growing, as a representative survey conducted by the polling institute forsa on behalf of the KKH health insurance company shows. Currently, a quarter of the 1,006 parents of children up to 12 years old surveyed (26 percent) express fears regarding their child's hospital stay – compared to 19 percent in 2021. "Primarily, 77 percent of concerned parents fear infection with hospital germs," explains Vijitha Sanjivkumar, child health expert in the KKH's medical competence team. Nearly two-thirds are worried about the need for repeat surgeries or complications from anesthesia. Nevertheless, 73 percent of all respondents would trust the doctors in the hospital.
The KKH expert advocates for communication on equal terms: Binding information, joint decision-making, and age-appropriate language are essential. When parents and children understand why a particular therapy is necessary, their willingness to cooperate increases significantly.
Hospital reform jeopardizes childcare
Professor Dr. Ursula Felderhoff-Müser, President of the German Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine (DGKJ), urgently warns of the consequences of the planned hospital reform: "The special needs of children and adolescents are increasingly being overlooked in health policy decisions." She emphasizes that the care of children is complex and requires specialized expertise from the first day of life. Implementing the current draft reform of the Hospital Reform Adjustment Act (KHAG) would jeopardize specialized pediatric care – with serious consequences for patients and their families.
Paradigm shift required
Joachim Maurice Mielert, Secretary General of the APS, calls for a fundamental system change: "We don't just need a reform, but a paradigm shift." The patient must be placed at the center, and patient safety must be enshrined as a legal norm. So far, politicians have shied away from this step for fear of increased liability risks and higher costs. However, legal codification would mean the transition from a political policy to a legally enforceable right – and that is precisely what is long overdue.
Concrete measures for greater security
The APS, the KKH, and the DGKJ have clear ideas about how patient safety in pediatric medicine can be improved: Standardized checklists, double-checking of medication administration, weight-based dosing, and pediatric databases in electronic prescribing systems are just some of the measures they recommend. Establishing a "speak-up culture" is also crucial: Hierarchies should not prevent concerns from being raised—neither by junior colleagues nor by parents.
The experts agree: Investing in the safe medical care of children is an investment in the future of society as a whole.
About the Action Alliance for Patient Safety (APS)
The German Alliance for Patient Safety (APS) was founded in 2005 with the aim of improving patient safety in Germany. As a non-profit organization, it advocates for safe healthcare and is dedicated to researching, developing, and disseminating suitable methods for achieving this goal.
About the KKH Commercial Health Insurance
With around 1.5 million insured persons, KKH Kaufmännische Krankenkasse is one of the largest nationwide health insurance funds and one of the high-performing providers of statutory health insurance.
About the German Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine (DGKJ)
The German Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine is the scientific professional association of pediatricians and adolescent medicine specialists in Germany, with over 20,500 members. Its goal is to promote scientific and professional interests in pediatric and adolescent medicine and to ensure optimal outpatient and inpatient medical care for children and adolescents in Germany.