Also via video chats How doctors want to treat patients online soon

Remote treatment: Doctors should soon be allowed to treat patients exclusively online

Years ago, many experts agreed that telemedicine will be an important part of health care in the future. Finally, online consultations with the doctor can contribute, inter alia, to accelerated diagnoses. It has now become known that doctors will soon be allowed to treat patients exclusively online.

Measure against the shortage of doctors in rural areas

The field of telemedicine is still in its infancy in Germany, but in the future it will be an important part of health care, according to experts. Especially in rural areas, telemedicine is becoming increasingly important as a measure against the shortage of doctors. According to media reports, the German health service is apparently facing a major change: In the future, patients should probably also be treated exclusively via electronic communication media such as Skype.

Remote treatments by video chat are so far only possible if there has been at least once a physical contact between doctor and patient. In the future, physicians should probably be allowed to treat patients exclusively online. (Image: Yeko Photo Studio / fotolia.com)

Already there are online consultation hours

Years ago, online consultation hours were introduced in Germany.

According to experts, such treatments offer many advantages. They not only save the doctor's long journey, especially in rural areas, but in some areas seem to be just as good as comparable face-to-face therapy.

For example, a study commissioned by Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) showed that online therapy helps stammerers as well as therapy in the consulting room.

Remote treatment via video chat

Remote treatments by videochat or telephone are so far only possible if there has been a physical contact between doctor and patient at least once.

But in the future, doctors probably also exclusively online on communication media such as Skype treat, reports the news agency Reuters.

According to a spokesman of the German Medical Association (BÄK) confirmed that a corresponding change in the model professional code is planned.

Certain conditions must be met

According to a report by "Spiegel Online" it is then in the occupational code for doctors then read: "An exclusive consultation or treatment via electronic communication media is allowed, if this is medically justifiable in individual cases."

Prerequisite for the exclusively virtual consultation is that the patient is informed about the "peculiarities" of a pure online consultation and the doctor carefully documents all findings and treatments.

The majority of the medical profession had resisted for years vehemently against a loosening of the Fernbehandlungsverbots and demanded at least a personal initial contact between physicians and patients, writes "mirror on-line".

In May, however, the delegates of the Medical Day are now to be recommended for voting. (Ad)