Thursday, December 14, 2023, 3:40 p.m
Social and Health Minister Manne Lucha:
“Televisits are pioneering solutions for one
adequate medical care for older people in need of care. We encourage you to apply for funding.”
The medical care of older people in need of care is a growing challenge. Modern video technology now also makes so-called televisits possible. Resident doctors can network quickly and efficiently with care facilities and those in need of care in order to ensure medical care.
“Televisits offer great advantages in many situations – for example, when the blood pressure of someone in need of care suddenly goes off the rails. “Thanks to televisits, the nursing staff can then quickly and easily contact family doctors and transfer the vital signs digitally,” explained Social and Health Minister Manne Lucha on Thursday (December 14th) in Stuttgart. “The electronic patient record (ePA) makes it possible for doctors to access the medical history of those in need of care and to react appropriately,” added Lucha. Immediately beforehand, the German Bundestag had passed a law in the morning, according to which health insurance companies must set up an e-file for all legally insured people by January 15, 2025 – unless a patient objects.
Televisits can help resolve health crises in a more stress-free manner. And such services are economical for the insured community. Unnecessary and costly hospital admissions can often be avoided in this way.
The connection of long-term care to the telematics infrastructure (TI) offers many advantages in addition to televisits: care facilities, doctors, pharmacies and other players can be networked. Telemedicine and televisits are becoming increasingly important, especially in care facilities in rural areas, because there is a particularly large shortage of skilled workers here. In order to promote the introduction of televisits in care facilities, the state would like to support projects that test this new technology. The aim is to establish televisits in outpatient and inpatient care facilities and to integrate them into standard care in the long term.
Before the call for funding, the ministry invited all those involved in long-term care to a symposium on the further development of televisits in care facilities. 150 interested people came. “This speaks for the importance that the actors attach to the topic. The accumulated experiences of care facilities, doctors, pharmacies, care insurance funds and other care stakeholders are an important building block in driving forward televisits in the country,” said Minister Lucha.
The symposium provided numerous insights into digital technology in the area of televisits. Lucha made it clear: “Televisits are future-oriented solutions for appropriate medical care for older people in need of care. We encourage you to apply for funding.”
The applications take place in two stages: A sketch of approximately two pages must be submitted by January 31, 2024, which clearly demonstrates interest in the funding. A group of experts will assess these sketches and then ask all suitable applicants to submit the complete application documents by April 30, 2024.
The call for funding “Televisites in care facilities” is now available on the website of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Health and Integration Baden-Württemberg under the following link