Overview

• Surveys show two-thirds of medical practices and over 70% of hospitals reporting increased verbal and physical assaults, with emergency departments and nursing staff hardest hit.
• Clinics and practices have introduced security personnel, de-escalation and defense courses, and architectural modifications to protect employees.
• The Deutsche Krankenhausgesellschaft and Bundesärztekammer are pressing for a federal, low-threshold reporting system to document every incident and reveal the true scope of violence.
• Health Minister Nina Warken demanded tougher legal penalties, urging that assaults on medical staff be treated on par with attacks on emergency responders.
• Medical associations warn that without swift political action, ongoing aggression against healthcare workers undermines patient trust and jeopardizes the health system’s resilience.