This study examines suspected medical errors with a fatal outcome that were submitted to the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Essen by the Essen and Bochum public prosecutor's offices in 1990, 1991, 2000, 2001, 2010 and 2011.
The aim of this retrospective work is to verify the frequency of possible treatment errors within the last two decades and to gain insights into the course of investigation proceedings, also with regard to an apparently higher willingness to file charges. The intention is to detect and break down possible weak points in the healthcare system and to rethink the way treatment errors are dealt with in the interests of creating a culture of safety.