Berlin – 14. April 2023
- Implemented in a consumer-friendly manner, the federal government’s digitization projects can make everyday patient life easier.
- vzbv demands that consumer protection and data protection for digital offers are not weakened and that consumers are better informed about digitization projects.
- People who do not use digital offers must not be left behind.
40 percent of consumers have been using more digital offers in the health sector since the corona pandemic. But only half of consumers (50 percent) currently feel very well or rather well informed about digitization projects in the field of health and care. This is shown by an online representative survey by eye square on behalf of the Federal Association of Consumer Organizations (vzbv). With a view to the digital law announced by Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach and other measures to implement the digitization strategy, the vzbv calls for the plans to be combined with comprehensive consumer information.
“Many digital applications make everyday patient life easier, for example online appointment bookings or video consultations. So that everyone can benefit from this, the implementation of the digitization strategy in the health and care sector must be geared to the needs of the patients,” says Thomas Moormann, Head of the Health and Care Team at vzbv. “This also includes comprehensive communication from the federal government about the possibilities, opportunities and risks. The aim must be for all consumers to understand what is at stake. This is the only way they can make an informed decision for or against the use of digital offers, such as the electronic patient file.”
Consumer protection and the level of data protection must not be weakened by new digital offers. This is an important basis for the acceptance and use of digital applications. Consumers are positive about more digitization: Almost half of those surveyed (49 percent) agree completely or somewhat with the statement that the digitization of the healthcare system has become more important to them personally since the corona pandemic.
The vzbv demands that analogue access routes for patient care be maintained. People who do not want to or cannot use digital services must not be excluded from health care, for example when making doctor’s appointments.
>> More information and survey results