Ruth Hecker

Ruth is Chairwoman at Aktionsbündnis Patientensicherheit and "Chief Patient Safety Manager" at Essen University Hospital. She has been responsible for quality management and clinical risk management at Essen University Hospital since 2012. Hecker is a trained nurse, studied medicine in Bochum and health sciences, and worked for many years as an anesthetist and emergency physician. She was head physician of the Citizens' Information Department of the Medical Association and the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians of Westphalia-Lippe until 2007 when she headed the Quality and Medical Process Management Department at Diakoniewerk Gelsenkirchen and Wattenscheid until the end of 2011.

Important positions in terms of content: Already since the 1st pandemic wave in April 2020: "We need regional cooperation instead of competition to be able to provide good care for all patient groups!" / Strengthening nursing: "It is after twelve and urgent to finally improve the framework conditions for nursing!" / "Without employee safety, no patient safety!" / "Patient safety must be essential decision-making criteria in all healthcare organizations and facilities."

Ruth is the initiator of "Germany Recognizes Sepsis", a campaign to raise awareness about sepsis in the general German population, which started in February 2021.