Greater information gaps for patients, augmented influence for lobbying groups

Clinic Atlas's halt solely advantages lobby groups, leaving hospital details inaccessible for those impacted, causing a significant information blackout.

, and Administrator

2025 September 17 . 7:13 AM

2 min read

Patients are left less informed while lobbyists gain increased control

Greater information gaps for patients, augmented influence for lobbying groups

In a move that has sparked controversy, Federal Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU) has announced plans to abolish the Clinic Atlas in the German healthcare system. The Clinic Atlas, introduced by Warken's predecessor, Karl Lauterbach (SPD), was designed to provide a transparent picture of the quality of hospital treatments, recording parameters such as the frequency and complication rates of specific treatments on a publicly accessible platform.

The Clinic Atlas, however, has not achieved its planned impact. Critics argue that it has shrunk to a small version, failing to live up to its initial intentions. The health minister's decision to discontinue it has been met with criticism, as it implies she did not initiate its introduction, which was associated with the period before her tenure and was criticized by her decision.

The Clinic Atlas was intended to allow patients and their relatives to make informed decisions about where to have themselves treated. Transparency provided by such portals, as demonstrated by experiences from other countries, is considered the basis for understanding the need for comprehensive reforms in the healthcare system. In its absence, hospitals themselves are supposed to provide information about the quality in their institutions.

The Clinic Atlas was introduced despite resistance from the clinic lobby and state governments. The lobby, known for its influence in the healthcare sector, is rejoicing at the potential abolition of the Clinic Atlas. The loss of a lobby-independent portal for the Clinic Atlas is significant for the healthcare system reform process.

The clinic lobby is offering its own online directory as an alternative to the Clinic Atlas. However, this alternative is currently being criticized as a joke, raising questions about its effectiveness and impartiality.

Our independent, left-wing, and opinionated daily newspaper has been arguing for reforms in the healthcare system since its foundation in 1979. We believe that the Clinic Atlas, despite its shortcomings, is a crucial step towards transparency and accountability in the healthcare sector. The potential abolition of the Clinic Atlas raises concerns about the future of healthcare reforms in Germany.

Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.