Behandelnde

Behandelnde is a German term meaning "the person who treats" and is used as a noun to designate the clinician or healthcare professional responsible for a patient’s medical treatment. It originates from the verb behandeln (to treat) with the agent suffix -nde and is commonly capitalized in formal writing. In practice, the Behandelnde may be a physician, psychotherapist, dentist, nurse with therapeutic duties, or any licensed health care provider who delivers treatment and makes therapeutic decisions.

The term is largely role-based rather than a fixed professional title; it identifies the person in charge of care rather than a specific specialty. In documents and records, Behandelnde is often used to refer to the person who is informing the patient about procedures, obtaining consent, performing treatments, and maintaining treatment-related documentation. The masculine form is Der Behandelnde, the feminine Die Behandelnde; in gender-neutral usage, Behandelnde can be used without explicit gender indication or replaced by a phrase like die behandelnde Person.

In English contexts, Behandelnde is commonly translated as "the treating physician/clinician" or "the treating health professional." See also Behandlung (treatment) and Behandlungsverantwortlicher (person responsible for treatment).