Digital transformation in the german healthcare industry : an analysis of the video consultation (teledoctor) and how it can shape the german healthcare industry

The healthcare industry is currently undergoing a digital transformation. Thereby, efficiency and accessibility between physicians and patients shall be improved by innovative care and treatment concepts. One of these innovative concepts is the telemedicine and in particular the video consultation which enables a location independent treatment of patients through information and communication technology. However, this kind of digital medical treatment is currently not properly available in Germany. Therefore, this exploratory study deals with the current status and potential of video consultation in Germany, the challenges and derives potential impacts of the video consultation. The findings reveal that the legal framework of the video consultation, inappropriate reimbursement, acceptance within patients and physicians and no adequate expanded telematic infrastructure are the main challenges that hinder the further development of the video consultation. At the same time, an educated guess showed that a potential size of video consultation based on physicians and patient’s acceptance exists. The video consultation and its connected features will shift the physical based healthcare system to a more online focused and patient centered system which in return will affect all involved stakeholder. Patients will have better access to medical care and physicians will have more efficient practice processes and more flexible working models. In order to adapt to the digital change of society, physicians should provide VC and healthcare insurance companies should support it.A indústria da saúde está, atualmente, a passar por uma transformação digital. Deste modo, a eficiência e a acessibilidade entre médicos e pacientes serão melhoradas através de conceitos inovadores de cuidados e tratamentos. Um destes conceitos inovadores é a telemedicina e, em particular, a videoconferência, que permite um tratamento independente da localização dos doentes através das tecnologias da informação e da comunicação. No entanto, este tipo de tratamento médico digital não está actualmente disponível de forma adequada na Alemanha. Portanto, este estudo exploratório lida com a situação atual e o potencial da consulta por vídeo na Alemanha, os desafios e os potenciais impactos da consulta por vídeo. Os resultados revelam que a estrutura legal da consulta em vídeo, o reembolso inadequado, a aceitação pelos pacientes e médicos e a falta de infraestrutura telemática expandida adequada são os principais desafios que dificultam o desenvolvimento futuro da consulta em vídeo. Ao mesmo tempo, uma suposição esclarecida mostrou que existe um tamanho potencial de consulta por vídeo baseado na aceitação dos médicos e pacientes. A consulta em vídeo e os recursos conectados mudam o sistema de saúde com base física para um sistema mais focado online e centrado no paciente, o que afetará todas as partes interessadas envolvidas. Os pacientes terão melhor acesso aos cuidados médicos e os médicos terão processos práticos mais eficientes e modelos de trabalho mais flexíveis. A fim de se adaptar à mudança digital da sociedade, os médicos devem fornecer VC e as companhias de seguros de saúde devem apoiá-la

The Ethical Implications of Telemedicine and the Internet for Home Healthcare

Information and communication technologies, such as the Internet, are transforming our business, education, and leisure practices. The healthcare industry is no exception to this trend and the burgeoning field of home-based telemedicine is evidence of this. As with many technological innovations in healthcare, assessments of homebased telemedicine and correlative policies are being driven by economic and technological criteria that emphasize cost reduction and technologic efficiency. These are important considerations, but these assessments neither identify the ethical values involved in home-based telemedicine nor address its possible ethical implications. Since the economic and technologic viability of home-based telemedicine is not identical with its ethical appropriateness and justification, this is a serious oversight. Hence, the use of telemedicine and the Internet in home healthcare invite a discussion about their ethical implications for the traditional goals and moral ideals of healthcare practice. The purpose of this study is to argue that the ethical implications of telemedicine and the Internet for home healthcare should be better understood and incorporated into future home-based telemedicine research and policy development. To this end, this study reviews the home-based telemedicine literature and examines the normative connections between home-based telemedicine and the following: (1) provider-patient relationships, (2) healthcare privacy and confidentiality, (3) distributive and family justice, and (4) informed consent. This study concludes that given the traditional values and goals of healthcare, information and communication technologies present both possible harms and benefits for home healthcare recipients and providers, but that on balance the benefits are more likely to outweigh the harms. However, because the exact benefits and harms of homebased telemedicine are unknown at this time, additional empirical research and outcome studies are needed. Finally, as part of a general technology assessment of home-based telemedicine, future research should include an ethical evaluation of all information and communication technologies that will be employed. If this is not done, home-based telemedicine policies will be inadequately informed and many of the possible harms of home-based telemedicine that could be prevented will not be prevented

A position paper of the Association of German Allergists (AeDA)

Since spring 2020, the wide-ranging contact restriction measures in the context of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic have also led to a reduction in physician-patient contacts in the ambulatory care setting. Telemedicine applications will increasingly provide a way to efficiently deliver patient care under infection control measures. In allergology, telemedical as well as digital applications can also significantly facilitate everyday clinical practice. However, the technical and legal hurdles associated with the implementation of digital strategies must be overcome for this to happen. The aim of this article is to provide an intuitive overview of the aspects to be considered in the implementation of telemedicine consultations and to highlight the current state of the framework as well as optimization possibilities and perspectives in allergology. If a structured use is guaranteed, digital and telemedical applications can improve patient care-also in allergology. There is potential to be exploited in many areas, from the remote collection of clinical history, and video consultations, to the discussion of diagnostic findings, disease monitoring, and therapy support. The use of telemedical applications, especially video consultations, has experienced a remarkable acceleration in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The present overview of the legal, technical and professional framework is intended to support the anchoring of digital and telemedical technologies in everyday allergology. However, in order to consolidate these in the future, an agreement is needed regarding professional standards of action as well as a remuneration structure that is permanently defined beyond the current pandemic

Telemedicine Scenario for Elderly People with Comorbidity

Progressive population aging is associated with negative social and economic impacts mainly due to its associated comorbidity rather than to aging per se. In this regard, information and communication technology resources may provide useful tools to assist the population with comorbidities through the use of telemedicine systems. However, despite their potential, such systems have not yet been effectively implemented due to a number of different reasons: absence of a clear business plan, poor acknowledgement of their clinical usefulness, and ethical and legal issues, among others. An analysis of current scenario from the point of view of the different actors (patients, health care providers, and health care systems) aimed at identifying the needs to be covered by telemedicine systems that could contribute to overcoming such problems. The present chapter is intended to offer such an analysisPostprint (author’s final draft

Building Digital Bridges: Exploring the Digitized Collaboration of General Practitioners and Mobile Care in Rural Areas

In the process of digitalization of healthcare, professionals, such as mobile care nurses or general practitioners, are facing both new challenges and opportunities. Digital technologies thereby promise to affect the cooperation of healthcare professionals on various levels, e.g., increasing quality of care, improving interprofessional communication, or optimizing economic aspects of care. Our study examines current issues of healthcare professionals concerning a digital change of care. We conducted qualitative interviews with primary care practitioners and providers of mobile care (nurses and care managers) to understand perceived obstacles in the process of digitalization and to formulate possible implications to encounter those obstacles. Our results suggest that insufficient communication and a lack of mutual trust have to be considered relevant issues. We therefore propose to focus future research on the interchangeability of different communication and documentation systems

Opportunities And Challenges of E-Health and Telemedicine Via Satelite

The introduction of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the health scenario is instrumental for the development of sustainable services of direct benefit for the European citizen. The setting up of satellite based applications will enhance rapidly the decentralisation and the enrichment of the European territory driving it towards a homogenous environment for healthcare

Process of change in organisations through eHealth: 2nd International eHealth Symposium 2010, Stuttgart, Germany, June 7 - 8, 2010 ; Proceedings edited by Stefan Kirn

Foreword: On behalf of the Organizing Committee, it is my pleasure to welcome you to Hohenheim, Stuttgart for the 2nd International eHealth Symposium which is themed 'Process of change in organisations through eHealth'. Starting with the inaugural event in 2009, which took place in Turku, Finland, we want to implement a tradition of international eHealth symposia. The presentations and associated papers in this proceedings give a current and representative outline of technical options, application potentials, usability, acceptance and potential for optimization in health care by ICT. We are pleased to present a high-quality program. This year we convey a unique opportunity for academic researchers and industry practitioners to report their state-of-the-art research findings in the domain of eHealth. The symposium aims to foster the international community by gathering experts from various countries such as Australia, Great Britain, Finland and Germany. A first step is done by this symposium which considers this interaction and delivers an insight into current advances made and open research questions. The organizers would like to take the opportunity to thank all the people which made the Symposium possible. We are pleased if both attendance to the 2nd International eHealth Symposium 2010 and reading of this proceedings give you answers to urging questions, a basis for critical discussions, references on interesting tasks and stimulations for new approaches. Table of Contents: Martin Sedlmayr, Andreas Becker, Hans-Ulrich Prokosch, Christian Flügel, Fritz Meier: OPAL Health - A Smart Object Network for Hospital Logistics // Rajeev K. Bali, M. Chris Gribbons, Vikraman Baskaran, Raouf NG Naguib: Perspectives on E-Health: the human touch // Falk Zwicker, Torsten Eymann: Why RFID projects in hospitals (necessarily) fail. Lesson from comparative studies // Nilmin Wickramasinghe, F. Moghimi, J. Schaffer: Designing an intelligent risk detection framework using knowledge discovery techniques to improve efficiency and accuracy of healthcare care decision making // Volker Viktor, Heiko Schellhorn: In search of an appropriate service model for telehealth in Germany // Simone Schillings, Julia Fernandes: Towards a reference model for telemedicine // Reima Suomi: Towards rewards awareness in health care information systems // Manuel Zwicker, Jürgen Seitz, Nilmini Wickramasingh: Adaptions for e-kiosk systems to develop barrier-free terminals for handicapped persons --

Telemedicine

Telemedicine is a rapidly evolving field as new technologies are implemented for example for the development of wireless sensors, quality data transmission. Using the Internet applications such as counseling, clinical consultation support and home care monitoring and management are more and more realized, which improves access to high level medical care in underserved areas. The 23 chapters of this book present manifold examples of telemedicine treating both theoretical and practical foundations and application scenarios

Evaluating Applications of a Telemedicine Taxonomy on the Classification of Research

abstract: By offering increased access to medical care, telemedicine offers significant opportunity for the process of development under Amartya Sen’s definition, that development is freedom, including freedom from illness, early death, and preventable disease. It advances development by freeing people from these burdens. However, like many emerging technologies, organizing information and understanding the field faces significant challenges. This paper applies Bashshur's three-dimensional model of telemedicine to the classification of telemedicine literature found in databases to assess the value of the model as a tool for classification. By standardizing language and creating a repository of research done to date in a centralized location, the field can better understand how it is progressing and where work still needs to be done. This paper aims to see if Bashshur's model serves well for this task.Dissertation/ThesisMasters Thesis Global Technology and Development 201