Health: doctors ‘ surgeries to be digital

Vacation, buy Tickets, Transfers on the mobile phone: For millions of German citizens a lot of running in everyday life online. After years of wrangling, digitisation should also record in the healthcare sector, the pace and patient-specific improvements bring.

For a major project by the Federal Minister of health, Jens Spahn (CDU) runs over the new year a Countdown by 1. January 2021 should be electronic patient records as a voluntary offer for the Insured is ready to use.

More digital services in doctor’s offices

The statutory health insurance (GKV) and the consumer centers also rely on more digital offerings the practices of video office hours, up to Online appointments.

“We need offices for Modernisation of the doctor,” said Stefanie fabric Ahnis, CEO of the Shi head Association of the German press Agency.

It is important to be able to use the opportunities of digitization for the improvement of patient care use. Because in the past few decades have changed the reality of life for many people: “you are buying online, work, mobile, and 24/7 is often become a self-evident standard of service.”

In this environment, higher requirements, the digitisation for the Doctors a Chance and no risk.

Video office hours will be, of course,

“Currently, the Doctors are looking at it more as a value-added service,” said material-Ahnis. Video telephony are services but of course.

Their expectation was that in five years every fifth treatment via video consultation successes. “Some of the parents would be happy if you are with your child, the vomiting and diarrhea, not directly in the doctor’s office would have to, but by Video with the doctor could replace it.”

Online appointment bookings as a patient-friendly package

Part one is no longer dependent on telephone hours, or answering machine, when it comes to appointments in practices. This is a modern and patient-friendly offer, said the head of the consumer center Federal Association (vzbv), Klaus Müller.

Not everyone wanted to click through a digital calendar. “That’s what it comes down to the combination.” It is convenient if patients could book appointments in the evening after work, online, also said the head of the kassenärztliche bundesvereinigung (KBV), Andreas streets. “

Such Services offer practices certainly like to, but you must also work technically.”

Shorten the time in the waiting room

“Digital notifications can also help while you Wait in the practice when patients can go for a time out,” said streets. Waiting times could come, but always: “If, for example, the family doctor, the one with the cold is to come, the other wants a follow-up recipe, and the next a bit complex. This is not plan in advance.”

Waiting times but should remain in a reasonable relationship. “No one is complaining that he is going after five minutes of practice, when he sat for ten minutes in the waiting room. To wait but two hours for three minutes, doctor, stupid.”

In the case of other digital services it is also generally a functioning technology, liability issues and data protection. “The pace is not so bad,” said streets. Most of the practices are now connected to a planned information highway, in spite of all the difficulties, to get the approved encryption devices.

Necessary legal clarity to be. Doctors take the protection of health information very seriously, and patients knew that too. “It is understandable that no doctor wants to be can’t look put this confidence on the game with technical solutions, the implications of perhaps in their Privacy.”

Also, more and more patients want digital surgeries

Consumer advocates Müller said, more and more patients wanted to use digital health services. It is also useful if information on one E-patient file, for example, to avoid multiple x-ray. “As long as no one comes to the data that may, this is a way for modern medicine.”

Shortly before the turn of the year, just expert advice on security appeared, however, gaps in the data highway of health care, all of which is to be parked clarified.

The funds emphasize basically, the conversation between the doctor and the Patient is at the heart of the supply. “If we can overcome with modern technology, distances can be helped a lot of people,” said Shi-Board fuel-Ahnis.

The physicians are optimistic that more attractive offers, such as the electronic health card yet to develop traction. “So far, there is only a single function of the system, the synchronization of the data of the Insured person,” said streets. “This is not a spectacular innovation in health care. It must be plausible that digital offers for the patient and the care to bring something concrete.”

Katharina Klein

*The post “health care: physician practices to published digital” will be FitForFun. Contact with the executives here.