Telemedicine as a measure against lack of doctors

Telemedicine as an approach against the shortage of doctors in the countryside

01/24/2015

Experts warn for years that the shortage of doctors, especially in rural areas, could lead to a shortage of patients. To more doctors „on´s country“ The chairman of the Health Ministers Conference, Sabine Bätzing-Lichtenthäler, wants to focus more on telemedicine, among other things.

Telemedicine is not „nostrum“
In telemedicine, the chairwoman of the Health Ministers Conference, Sabine Bätzing-Lichtenthäler (SPD), sees an approach against lack of doctors in the countryside. For example, patients no longer need to go to the doctor for routine examinations such as blood pressure measurements. Opposed to the German Press Agency (dpa) said the Rhineland-Palatinate Minister of Health: „Telemedicine will not be the cure for demographic change.“ But she will be able to help, „to ensure medical care as far as possible“.

Doctor and patient communicate via computer and webcam
Patient and doctor connect to telemedicine via computer and webcam. Medical data can also be transferred. „We want to promote e-health“, explained Bätzing-Lichtenthäler. According to Federal Health Minister Hermann Gröhe (CDU), one of the goals is that a law on the treatment of electronic data interchange (e-health) will come into effect in 2016. „There is resistance on the part of the doctors and the coffers, but the law offers huge opportunities“, explained the minister. She stated that she wanted to advertise for her colleagues from the other federal states. „That does not mean that we cease to get more primary care physicians or specialists on the land, but it can be a support“, so Bätzing light thalers.

None „sustained resistance of doctors“ in NRW
As the „German Medical Journal“ reported online, the North Rhine-Westphalian Health Minister Barbara Steffens (Greens) stressed that there are no North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) „sustained opposition of physicians to the telemedicine projects developed here“ gives. The politician pointed out that physicians and patients in NRW are involved in the development of telemedicine projects right from the start in planning and conception and said: „In addition, in North Rhine-Westphalia the principle applies: Not the technical feasible is in the foreground, but what supports a human health system in a meaningful way.“ Steffens announced that it would critically review the Federal Government's draft of the e-Health Act as to whether it adequately reflects user-orientation in applications, security and privacy. „In addition, the introduction of the telematics infrastructure must be much faster and more cost-effective in order to finally network the projects in the countries“, said the Minister of Health.

Financial incentives for physicians
Another approach to addressing the problem of lack of physicians in rural areas is the so-called GKV-Versorgungsstärkungsgesetz, which was launched by Federal Minister of Health Gröhe in a cabinet meeting in December. Among other things, this provides financial incentives such as the licensing costs or the remuneration to bring more doctors to the country. And in regions that are over-supplied, surgeries will only be reoccupied if it makes sense to care for patients. (Ad)