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Digital Consultation Room in pharmacies
Digitization opens up many new ways to improve medical care. The Techniker Krankenkasse is now testing a new "digital consulting room" in pharmacies, with the help of which drug safety should be increased.
The new digital offer for pharmacies is being carried out by TK in cooperation with Aliud Pharma Apotheken. The participating pharmacies can use the otherwise "fee-based service app of the pharmacy expert group for six months free of charge" "to support the counseling discussions in the context of drug coaching," according to the statement of the health insurance. Essential information on the remedies are presented in the app clearly and easily understandable for patients. The TK hopes to improve the drug safety by using it.
The digital counseling service in pharmacies should increase drug safety. (Image: Tyler Olson / fotolia.com) Digital drug coaching
On the basis of the digital offer, pharmacists can "carry out the drug coaching with vivid graphics and multimedia contents on the tablet computer", explained the head of the department of medicine at TK, Tim Steimle, at the German Pharmacists' Day in Dusseldorf. Through the app, the good and important content would be better illustrated and easier to understand. The participating pharmacies offer the app "an exclusive interface from which access to the contents of the TC drug coaching can be accessed," according to the statement of the health insurance.
Six-month trial period for the digital consulting service
With the digital consulting room, it will be possible to prepare all documents for the consultation in the app and then to make the documentation, reports the TK. In addition, additional film content for the use of special dosage forms or the TK explanatory film on the generic discount agreements could easily be included here. There is also the possibility to send the billing to the TC after the coaching with a click. According to the health insurance company, the six-month trial offers pharmacists enough time to test the service app. During the period, patients can undergo complete coaching, TK explains. After completing the test phase, the participating pharmacies must then decide whether they want to continue using the app.
Use digital options for the benefit of patients
The Techniker Krankenkasse is increasingly focusing on the digital possibilities and since October offers, for example, the reimbursement of costs for a therapy app for tinnitus (tinnitus). After a single setting by an ear, nose and throat specialist, those affected can, with their help, at best completely eliminate the noise. Which digital offers turn out to be a success remains to be seen. It is to be hoped that the goal of action here is not the cost reduction in therapy, but the improvement of treatment. (Fp)