The best clinics in the country – this is how we determined them

What is a good hospital? The doctors, the care, the equipment? There is not one factor. It’s about an overall picture. Just as the patient wishes that the doctor not only looks at the one organ, but also takes a look at the whole person. This is the new, holistic approach of the star-Lists.

More than 2300 hospitals provide patients in Germany – a difficult to overview. The orientation needs are tremendous, especially in the case of serious indications. The tables help here. Sorted by 39 departments, we give more than 2300 recommendations. On top of that, we call the 100 leading houses in Germany and other clinics, which are particularly highlighted in the respective federal states.

Munich Inquire Media (MinQ) is an independent research company based in Munich. Its team of doctors, journalists and database specialists has been creating renowned lists for medical specialists and clinics for more than 20 years. “We are strictly based on the interests of the patients,” says managing director Richard Eberle. “Our independence is our strength,” adds his colleague Marc Langner.

At the beginning there are two key questions: Which indicators are well suited to determine the quality in a area of ​​medicine? And who fulfills these criteria in an outstanding way?

The central point of research is the reputation of the specialist departments. For this, detailed, personal and confidential interviews are managed with doctors. Mutual online recommendations from clinics are not taken into account in the absence of validity. Since the call of the specialist departments correlates with the reputation of the chief physicians, it is also used.

Current data from the “White List” are no longer available for the patient perspective. Therefore, the information from patient portals was taken into account if there are at least 100 assessments. Only above -average positive reviews count. The quality reports published by clinics for 2023 serve as another source. For example, they contain the so-called C1 data of external quality assurance for some specialist areas.

Research into certificates from medical societies (for example for cancer centers) is particularly extensive. MinQ views and evaluates over 160 certificates according to their importance and admission requirements. The “Clean Hands” campaign is evaluated for the aspect of hygiene.

All clinics that get into the research pool receive specialist questionnaires. In it, quality managers, nursing management and chief physicians, for example, provide information on measures of quality assurance, hygiene, special care and special treatment services.

MinQ calculates a score for each indication. The medical reputation has the greatest weight. But depending on the specialist area, special criteria are also taken into account, such as special nursing staff or specialized outpatient clinics. The editors alone decide whether a facility will be included in a list. At least two people are always involved. The vote is justified and documented.

Based on the department lists, an overall ranking of all hospitals is also created (TOP 100). Medical quality counts with 70 percent. In addition, other clinics are listed for all federal states, which are characterized by a high number of placements in the department lists and/or a larger number of certificates.

The result is positive recommendations based on the criteria mentioned and careful research. However, this does not mean that the qualifications of other unused clinics are questioned.

Journalists make the decisions for admission to the lists. The methodology has the star-Credaction released. After the publication, the excellent has the opportunity to star-S seal to acquire. You can find precise information about the seals at