State of In-hospital Disaster Protection at Children's Hospitals in Germany

August 13, 2026 updated by: Christoph Schulze, University Hospital Heidelberg

Catastrophic situations demand a heigh preparedness from hospitals. In Germany, all hospitals are required to maintain an emergency and response plan for such situations. However, these plans are often insufficient. The Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Relief has published a guide that covers most eventualities. Children's hospitals in Germany are often integrated into larger hospitals. However they often don´t have specialized emergency and response plans. Pediatric patients have different requirements and need different care compared to adults. This study investigates whether children's hospitals in Germany have specific emergency and response plans for children. Based on the findings, recommendations will be developed on how children's hospitals can become more resilient.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

380

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Name: Christoph Schulze
Phone Number: +491726342930
Email: christoph.schulze@stud.uni-heidelbergg.de

Study Locations

Germany
- - Heidelberg, Germany
    - Recruiting
    - University Hospital Heidelberg
    - Contact:
      
      Christoph Schulze
      
      Phone Number: +491726342930
      
      Email: christoph.schulze@stud.uni-heidelbergg.de

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

Child
Adult
Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

All pediatric hospitals which take part in the acute patient care

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

german pediatric hospital

Exclusion Criteria:

facilities like pediatric rehabilitation centers

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
State of preparedness Time Frame: perioperative	Number of hospitals which have specialized Plans for pediatric hospitals	perioperative

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University Hospital Heidelberg

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

July 22, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

September 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

October 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

December 31, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 13, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

August 17, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)