It sounds simple, but it is obviously very difficult.

for several weeks, the B. T. brought the one horrifying story after the other. It was actually a journalist Arne Notkin, who with his new book opened the door for a glance into the treatment of sick people or legitimately: a lack of treatment of sick people.

Sandra Dark Valente got a diagnosis too late and is now as a single mother terminally ill. We have spoken with Maria Holst, whose father, Peter Holst, was diagnosed so late, that he died a short time ago. Yesterday we reported on Rasmus Davison, who as an 18-year-old has amputated his one leg.

Common to all of them and many more is that their diagnosis has come too late, and they all live with a feeling that the doctor did not listen.

Why is listening the doctor does not?

there are several explanations. First, doctors have a short time to the patients. A new report from the Patienterstatningen reveals that a patient on average to speak with the doctor in a minute and 18 seconds. There are of course differences, but for all the cases, as B. T. mentioned, has your doctor not listened in time.

With fatal consequences.

Patienterstatningen has investigated deaths in the past 10 years, and it turns out that every year the money must be paid in compensation to 63 patients who died due to a late diagnosis. It is a disastrously high figure, and it is probably higher, because many die without knowing they could be saved if the doctor had listened in a timely manner.

Why listen to doctors, not?

Because doctors do not want to involve the patients in a serious and systematic way. Not by bad will, but because it is not part of the culture in the Danish health care system. The medical association is oddly absent in this debate. Andreas Rudkjøbing, president of the doctors at the hospitals, is difficult to get in the conversation, and he grabs each time to the classic employee-parades. 'It's the system's fault – it is not the individual doctor'. 'There must more money and more time.'

of Course, the individual physician has a responsibility, and of course the medical association to participate in a debate on the doctors ' work, without it becoming a fagforeningskamp.

the First of the new year is to be negotiated a new sundhedsaftale.

It is necessary that Magnus Heuniche, minister of health, and the other politicians are listening to the patients, within the negotiating a deal in place.

It is the patients, who know the problems, and they need to be involved.

now Listen to the patients, Magnus.