Dutch doctors close to burn-out
A recent survey of more than 2,000 trainee hospital doctors in the Netherlands has revealed that many are close to burn-out.
Researchers said almost 40% of doctors claimed they were chronically overworked and exhausted. They often work up to 80 hours a week and shifts of 10 hours or more are common. When study time is added, the survey found that the interns were more liable to make mistakes when dealing with patients, especially in A&E.
Hospitals fine ‘no-show’ patients
Dutch hospitals are cracking down on patients who fail to keep appointments by fining them, a report has revealed. More than two-thirds of participating members of the Dutch Association of Hospitals (NVZ) say staff are most irritated by patients who do not turn up. A ‘no-show’ system of fines, initially set at ¤20 and increased to ¤40 during 2006, is now in operation in about 20% of hospitals.
Alarm over medication blunders
Healthcare inspectors in Belgium say that more than 25% of medications prepared in hospital pharmacies were found to have the wrong labels or incorrect dosages. Out of 115 pharmacies inspected,only eight have been certificated.
Small is beautiful
In Holland, small hospitals are medically and financially better than large ones, says a report by strategic consultant Roland Berger. Those in the north of the country score better than average. This year, Dutch taxpayers will pay more than ¤62 billion for their healthcare.
Information error led to wrong operation
The Wilhelmina Hospital in Assen, Holland, accidentally removed half a patient’s lung after an information mix-up. Wrong patient details of the patient were supplied by the pathology department at the University Hospital of Groningen, which handles all the laboratory work for the Wilhelmina Hospital, but the operation had already been carried out before the mistake was discovered.
27.12.2006
