Medical professionals at Charité make disheartening decision concerning their institution's welfare
A group of journalists from "Stern" and RTL investigates: Major issues regarding patient care at Berlin's Charité hospital are causing unease within the medical staff. Approximately 80% of the medical personnel rate the standard of care as 4 or lower.
Many doctors at Berlin's Charité seem dissatisfied with the patient safety at Germany's renowned institution. An unreleased survey reveals that more than 80% of the over 200 medical professionals involved in the study criticize the treatment quality severely, rating it with scores of 4, 5, or 6. This information is provided by "Stern" and RTL.
Over several months, a team of reporters has uncovered problems at the clinic. They also have access to two surveys revealing a discrepancy between stated and real-world conditions. The internal survey, conducted among medical professionals from different levels and departments in numerous hospitals, was asked about the current state of patient care at the Charité.
When asked to rate the patient care quality under the present working conditions, 44% answered "inadequate", and 8% "insufficient" - over half gave a rating of 5 or 6. Only 1 doctor rated it as "very good", while 29% answered "satisfactory".
Medical students avoid Charité
A second survey conducted by the Marburger Bund medical union requested feedback from over 200 medical students in their practical year about their experiences at Berlin clinics. Around half of them worked in Charité stations. More than two-thirds of them disagreed with recommending Charité as a teaching hospital to other students. Among those who worked in other Berlin clinics, the reverse was true: more than two-thirds recommended their hospitals. In total, only 10% felt well-prepared for their professional life. Peter Bobbert, chairman of the Berlin/Brandenburg state association of the Marburger Bund, described the results as "startling" and "cannot be sugarcoated".
The Charité's legal representative, in response to a request from "Stern" and RTL, stated that the two surveys were not known to the Charité, and their results were not representative. Also, they pointed to regular international rankings placing the Charité among the top hospitals.
The Charité, along with other major clinics, is expected to benefit financially from hospital reforms currently being formulated by Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach. It has a workforce of around 5700 doctors and researchers.
The unreleased survey conducted among medical professionals at Charité reveals severe criticism of the treatment quality, with over 80% rating it poorly. Many medical students participating in their practical year at Charité stations disagree with recommending it as a teaching hospital to their peers, citing dissatisfaction with their experiences.
