Consumer advocacy group Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband (VZBV) has cautioned Health Minister Nina Warken against plans to discontinue the Federal Hospital Atlas (Bundes-Klinik-Atlas). Thomas Moormann, head of the VZBV’s Health and Care team, emphasized on Monday that dismantling the Atlas would be detrimental to patients.
The organization stressed the need for greater transparency within the German healthcare system, arguing the Atlas represents a positive step towards this goal, even if further development is necessary. The aim is to empower patients to choose hospitals offering the highest quality of care for procedures.
Moormann dismissed the German Hospital Society’s (DKG) hospital directory as an unsuitable alternative, citing concerns regarding its user-friendliness and independence.
The VZBV expressed fears that without the Atlas, patients would face a confusing and unhelpful online landscape, hindering their ability to navigate healthcare options. They believe the Atlas, if developed effectively, has the potential to significantly improve healthcare provision and serves as a crucial foundation for successful hospital reform.
The Federal Hospital Atlas, launched in May 2024 under the leadership of former Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, was designed to increase transparency regarding hospitals’ services.