Birgit Schröder

Prof. Dr. jur. Birgit Schröder is Professor at the Department of Health and Nursing, HFH · Hamburg Distance Learning University, and since 2022 Head of the Master’s programme „Management im Gesundheitswesen“. Since 2021 she also serves as a visiting professor at the same department. A qualified lawyer and Fachanwältin für Medizinrecht (specialist attorney for medical law) since 2008, she has taught medical law and medical ethics at the University of Hamburg (MBA Health Management) and numerous German universities of applied sciences since 2005.

Education & Qualifications

• Doctorate in law (Dr. iur.) – University of Kiel, dissertation on „The Right to a Dignified Death – Prerequisites and Limits of Euthanasia“ under Prof. Dr. Albert von Mutius (1996–2000).
• Legal traineeship (Referendariat) in Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg, focus on medical law (2000–2004).
• Specialist attorney certification (Fachanwältin) in Medical Law (2008).

Research & Teaching Focus

Prof. Schröder’s scholarly work centres on the intersection of law, medicine, and health-care management. Her research spans medical law, health-care compliance, patient rights, contractual and billing issues in medical practice, radiation protection law, data protection, and medical ethics. She translates complex legal requirements into actionable guidance for physicians, practice managers, and health-care executives.

Her long-standing commitment to continuing education is evident through seminars, in-house trainings, and bespoke lectures delivered to hospitals, medical societies, and private practices nationwide. The integration of jurisprudence with practical health-care challenges underpins both her teaching philosophy and her prolific publication record.

Recent Publication Trends

Between 2021 and 2023 Prof. Schröder authored more than forty articles that illuminate pressing legal questions arising from everyday medical practice. Topics include the legal framing of RSV and COVID-19 vaccination services, reimbursement complexities surrounding PSMA-PET imaging, statutory and private insurance coverage disputes, no-show and cancellation-fee policies, radiation-protection enforcement, and the evolving duties of documentation and data protection under GDPR. These publications appear in leading professional journals such as Podologie, AAA Abrechnung aktuell, Radiologists WirtschaftsForum, and Dental Practice Professional, reflecting her broad reach across medical disciplines.

Scientific & Professional Recognition

• Certified Specialist Attorney for Medical Law (Fachanwältin für Medizinrecht) – 2008.
• Invited visiting professorships and lectureships at multiple German universities since 2005.

Advising & Knowledge Transfer

Although no individual doctoral students are named, Prof. Schröder continuously mentors a wide audience of health-care professionals through:

• Master’s-level curriculum design and teaching in Management im Gesundheitswesen.
• National continuing-education programmes on medical law and ethics for physicians, nurses, and administrative staff.
• Consultancy services to medical practices, hospitals, and professional associations on contract law, labour law, and regulatory compliance.

Labs & Teams

While she does not run a laboratory in the natural-science sense, Prof. Schröder leads the academic coordination team of the Master’s programme Management im Gesundheitswesen, collaborating with interdisciplinary faculty in health economics, nursing science, and business administration to shape evidence-based, legally compliant management education.