bA pediatrician from the town of Kirchheim unter Teck in Germany is facing backlash, including being threatened with a professional complaint, for hanging a sign in his practice requiring all patients to speak German. Although Dr. Ulrich Kuhn stressed that an interpreter is not necessary in an emergency, his practice has been flooded with negative Google reviews threatening to report him.
According to Tagesschau, the threats ensued after images of a sign hung at the reception desk of his office began circulating online.
“We only speak German here in the practice. If communication is impossible due to a lack of German language skills and no interpreter is present in person, we will have to refuse treatment in the future – except in emergencies,” reads the sign.
Although the sign has received immense pushback, the doctor of over two decades explains he stands by it after being unable to communicate with several parents and their children during visits.
“We simply could not explain to the patients and their parents what to do,” he said, noting that this makes it incredibly difficult to diagnose and treat a patient.
“When it comes to vaccinations, we are committing a minor bodily harm every time, in the sense of the Civil Code and also in the sense of the Criminal Code. We have to protect ourselves legally,” Kuhn continued, adding that he needs to know a patient’s medical history and allergies before deciding on treatment.
Despite the sign being well-received by patients, including migrant patients who Kuhn says now bring interpreters to appointments, images of the sign shared online sparked a mixed response.
While some understood where the doctor, who has treated over 3,500 children throughout his career, was coming from, others took to Google to leave a one-star review of his practice and accuse Kuhn of refusing treatment to patients.
“Denies treatment to children if their parents do not have sufficient knowledge of German. I am absolutely horrified,” wrote one person, reminding the pediatrician of The Hippocratic Oath, which holds physicians to ethical standards.
Others accused him of discriminating against migrants who “fled war or persecution” for requiring them to speak English at this practice.
“Parents must first attend a German course for three years before their children receive treatment. Very nice, that’s what you probably imagined when you fled war or persecution. And the sick children are allowed to suffer. Where can you report a practice like this?”
Despite the backlash, including several threats to report him to the German Medical Association, Kuhn has vowed that the sign will remain in his office, stressing that it’s in the best interest of his patients.
Referring to the accusations of racism and discrimination, Kuhn said: “We know that this is not our motivation – that’s why I’m not particularly interested in the opinions of people who have nothing to do with our practice.”
“This sign has no discriminatory message at all,” added Kuhn. “If there is no interpreter and the patients cannot understand us, we are not actually allowed to treat them. If we do so anyway, we are constantly operating in a legal gray area.”
According to the Baden-Württemberg State Medical Association, doctors may use discretion when treating patients and can “stop treatment under various circumstances including if there are basic communication problems.”
“On the one hand, they want to treat patients, but on the other hand, they have to inform patients,” explained a spokesperson for the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians in Stuttgart, noting that a physician can’t safely do their job if they can’t speak with patients.
