Heart problems, back pain, migraine are among the most common diseases. They are treated in many clinics.
Photo: Yuri Arcurs, Fotolia
But which one is right for you? Ten specialists tell you what to look for in your selection.
Inpatient stay you want to know in the best hands. But what is important? The clinic nearby? Or a special clinic? That depends on various factors. Read helpful tips for finding the right hospital here:
Every second over 50 years has an elevated blood pressure. High levels promote vascular calcification, damage the heart and kidneys. If the high blood pressure can not be reduced on an outpatient basis or if there is a rapid, threatening increase, you must be hospitalized.
In high-pressure crises, a blood pressure specialist (hypertensiologist) should clarify the causes in addition to cardiologists and kidney specialists, preferably in a high-pressure clinic. The German high pressure league has created a list of specialists.
Five to six million people in Germany suffer from asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is recommended to ask these questions at the clinic choice:
- How many asthmatics do you treat?
- Is a pulmonologist available?
There are also some rehab clinics for lung cancer patients who do not have a pulmonologist (pulmonologist). This is a nuisance, because after the operation, the lung must be strengthened and trained by the pulmonologist.
In Germany, 6.5 million people are "diabetic" and are treated. The number of unreported figures is eight to ten million.
First of all, you should ask your GP or specialist. In order to be able to better assess the quality reports of the individual clinics, it makes sense to look at the website of Qualitätsbericht.de or on the White List. The German Diabetic Association also gives tips.
Migraine is considered the most common nerve disorder. Around eight million people are affected.
It pays to check with the health insurance companies. There you often get to hear the opinion of other insured. Self-help forums are a good source, where patients report on their experiences. Self-help groups also offer lists.
In seven million people bone loss is detected. Typical: low bone mass, bone degradation, skeletal deformations, high risk of broken bones.
A good clinic first clarifies whether the disease is due to a hormone deficiency, rheumatism or cortisone. It has to be treated differently each time. The clinic should have a bone density measurement procedure with low radiation exposure. Especially in osteoporosis, the close cooperation of the specialists is very important.
There are 280, 000 heart attacks annually in Germany.
Specialists and clinics find patients on the online heart guide of the German Cardiac Society.
7. Depression
Eight million Germans suffer from a major depressive episode one or more times in their lives.
The best psychiatric clinic is located near your place of residence. Because in order to prepare for the life after the clinic, it is important to drive home in between, to see friends, to get a visit. The clinic in the vicinity also has contacts to local self-help groups.
Every third woman and every third man in Germany complain of back pain.
A first orientation aid are friends, family and tips from the circle of acquaintances. An appointment in the clinic of choice, however, does not mean that the patient has to bind permanently. Patients who do not feel taken seriously or do not want to confide in the doctor should change the clinic better.
9. eye diseases
Three million people suffer from excessive intraocular pressure, almost two million have forms of macular degeneration, and the cataract causes half a million operations per year.
It is important how often the clinic performs certain operations. As a quality training clinics are evaluated, because who trains, must be trained. Important is the "word-of-mouth" propaganda: Was the staff friendly, the organization good? To clinic Internet appearances is to say: A great homepage does not mean that the clinic is good!
In Germany, every tenth woman develops breast cancer in the course of her life. There are 57, 000 new cases each year.
From online leaders, breast cancer specialists tend to keep little. A good clinic should be certified by the German Cancer Society. It should operate at least 150 breast cancers per year and offer all diagnostic and therapeutic options.
