Krankheitskalender

A Krankheitskalender is a tool used primarily in German-speaking countries to document periods of illness, track symptoms, and plan work or school schedules around health-related absences. The term literally translates to “sickness calendar” and can be applied to both paper and digital formats. In the workplace, employees often submit a Krankheitskalender to their employer as part of the statutory requirement under the German Social Code (Sozialgesetzbuch), which governs sick leave entitlements and financial compensation. By recording start and end dates of an illness, the employer can assess the duration of absence and determine eligibility for continued wage payment or benefits from the statutory health insurance.

In schools, parents may use a Krankheitskalender to report a child’s illness to the educational institution. This aids teachers in monitoring attendance patterns and identifying possible outbreaks. Some educational authorities provide standardized templates for this purpose. The records also help in ensuring that children return to school only when they are no longer contagious, thereby protecting classmates and staff.

For patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma, or autoimmune disorders, a personal Krankheitskalender serves as a longitudinal medical diary. By logging daily symptoms, medication adherence, and relevant lifestyle factors, patients and healthcare providers can identify trends and adjust treatment strategies. In research settings, aggregated de‑identified data from patient-maintained calendars can be used to study disease patterns, treatment effectiveness, and health service utilization.

Digital Krankheitskalender applications are increasingly available, offering reminders, data visualization, and secure cloud storage. They often integrate with electronic health records to streamline information flow between patients and clinicians. The overarching goal of a Krankheitskalender is to provide a clear, objective record of health events that supports medical decision-making, legal compliance, and personal health management.