[Legal liability of the hospital]. 1995

T Bohle

Civil liability of the hospital institution for damages due to hospital treatment means liability for malpractice by the hospital staff. Such liability depends on whether the mistake was made during inpatient or out-patient care; it further depends on the hospitalization contract. If a health-service patient or a private patient has been harmed during treatment in a hospital, the hospital institution is liable for all staff members including the coordinator of the medical staff. However, if the hospitalization agreement stipulates that the coordinator of the medical staff shall be the contracting party only with respect to medical treatment, the hospital institution is not liable for the coordinator's behaviour. In case of outpatient treatment, the hospital institution is liable only for medical treatment provided by the hospital itself (i.e. in case of out-patient surgery) and not for medical treatment within the coordinators own out-patient department. The hospital institution has to organize the hospital's activities properly to avoid liability for faulty organisation. I.e the hospital institution has to provide sufficient staff out of office hours, to lay nonskidding floors or to instruct the staff properly in case a patient wishes to make his last will and testament. Regardless of a fault, the hospital institution is always liable for use of defective medical instruments. The hospital institution may try to avoid liability for tort (including compensation for immaterial damage) by proof of proper selection and supervision of the staff. However, such relief is very difficult and not available for key personnel.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007351 Insurance, Liability Insurance against loss resulting from liability for injury or damage to the persons or property of others. No-Fault Insurance,Insurance, No-Fault,Liability Insurance,No Fault Insurance
D008318 Malpractice Failure of a professional person, a physician or lawyer, to render proper services through reprehensible ignorance or negligence or through criminal intent, especially when injury or loss follows. (Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed) Professional Negligence,Negligence,Negligence, Professional,Professional Negligences
D008505 Medical Staff, Hospital Professional medical personnel approved to provide care to patients in a hospital. Attending Physicians, Hospital,Hospital Medical Staff,Physicians, Junior,Registrars, Hospital,Attending Physician, Hospital,Hospital Attending Physician,Hospital Attending Physicians,Hospital Medical Staffs,Medical Staffs, Hospital,Hospital Registrar,Hospital Registrars,Junior Physician,Junior Physicians,Physician, Junior,Registrar, Hospital,Staff, Hospital Medical,Staffs, Hospital Medical
D010044 Outpatient Clinics, Hospital Organized services in a hospital which provide medical care on an outpatient basis. Ambulatory Care Facilities, Hospital,Hospital Outpatient Clinics,Clinic, Hospital Outpatient,Clinics, Hospital Outpatient,Hospital Outpatient Clinic,Outpatient Clinic, Hospital
D005858 Germany A country in central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark. The capital is Berlin.
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D016365 Liability, Legal Accountability and responsibility to another, enforceable by civil or criminal sanctions. Institutional Liability,Personal Liability,Professional Liability,Legal Liability,Medical Liability,Torts,Institutional Liabilities,Legal Liabilities,Liabilities, Institutional,Liabilities, Legal,Liabilities, Medical,Liabilities, Personal,Liabilities, Professional,Liability, Institutional,Liability, Medical,Liability, Personal,Liability, Professional,Medical Liabilities,Personal Liabilities,Professional Liabilities,Tort

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