Study reveals: This is what doctors really think about eHealth solutions and digitalization in healthcare

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The DAK Digitization Report 2018 shows the attitudes of the doctors and shows how they imagine, for example, the evaluation of digital solutions and how Knowledge of certain eHealth opportunities is widespread. User opinion helps identify good solutions as part of a modern and patient-oriented healthcare system. The report thus complements, among other things, a study by the Health Foundation.

German healthcare not digital enough

In a direct comparison, Germany lags behind other European countries such as Denmark, Italy or Spain when it comes to the digitalization of their healthcare system. Laws that inhibit digitization should be checked, for example health-Apps are evaluated quickly and sensible solutions are used quickly. Regular status reports could help that Germany does not fall even further.

Doctors know few eHealth solutions

Digital applications for patients are still largely unknown to doctors. The best known is the ehealth consultation hour (over 80 percent response) due to the intensive reporting in the specialist media. Barely every fifth doctor has already had to do with the teleconsil. The situation is similar with the spread of online coaching, which is more of an offer of health insurance companies regulated by selective contracts. Surprising: The online patient record is the least known so far, despite intensive media reporting. Only every second doctor has heard of it. The electronic doctor's letter has the highest practical distribution.

And this despite the fact that every second doctor sees a clear benefit for science in digitalization as well as for the dissemination of medical knowledge and new guidelines. In contrast, every second doctor has heard of diagnostic apps, although these have not yet been regulated and integrated. Older doctors have heard of new digital innovations a little more often than younger people, although younger doctors see greater benefits in digital care solutions across all areas than their older colleagues. This observation extends across all of the applications queried.

Doctors see clear benefits in eHealth solutions

Although the scientific proof of benefits of digital therapy support programs for patients is only slowly growing, at least four out of five doctors may or may see a benefit for this. The majority of doctors see a benefit here as well, although web-based doctor-patient solutions could not yet be implemented across the board for communication. For standardized digital information and coaching applications, the benefit assessment is rather positive, however somewhat less than in other applications. The merging of tracking data into the patient's digital health record is rather assessed with a presumed benefit. This application does not yet exist in reality.

An assessment based on practical experience is not yet sufficiently possible. Nevertheless, the benefit assessment by doctors tends to be positive: seven out of ten see a possible or clear benefit. Doctors rate digital care solutions less positively if they are still purely theoretical or bring new paradigms into care. Even with critical issues, many doctors are open to digital solutions. Just under half would also give therapy recommendations and prescriptions via ehealth chat. Two out of three doctors consider it realistic that such a scenario will be implemented in the future. Three quarters of the doctors would welcome a practice-independent and patient-centered health record. Here too, the focus is on the concrete benefits for patients and doctors.

Doctors demand proof of benefits in digital health applications

Four out of five doctors consider clinical trials, such as medication, to be necessary to demonstrate the benefits of digital applications. Although proof of benefit is desired, two out of three doctors think that leaner and more agile evaluation methods should be used for digital applications. The TÜV scenario queried here also makes it clear that doctors welcome an independent examination. Even clearer among the doctors is the consent that apps such as medical devices should be checked. Remarkable: Two out of three doctors trust your conviction and experience even with digital applications.

Financing and integration into regular care

Physicians see the professional associations as the first place for practical integration into regular care. The financing of digital therapy applications is not a critical issue for almost three quarters of doctors. Three quarters of doctors place more value on a regulated evaluation of the benefits of digital applications. The Financing is secondary.

Doctors trust health insurance companies more than pharmaceutical companies

Doctors generally rate online coaching as useful. However, the rating depends on who develops coaching: trust in pharmaceutical companies is not very pronounced. Only about every second doctor would use such coaching. Coaching a health insurance company would use more than two thirds of the doctors. Cash registers are apparently seen more as trustworthy partners in the healthcare system. Around three quarters of the study participants consider the aftercare app of a clinic to be useful and would apply them. Doctors are particularly open to digital solutions that have concrete benefits for patients and doctors.

Doctors want work relief through digital solutions

Relief for doctors and better regional care with digitally supported specialists: Almost everyone Doctors want such solutions. DAK-Gesundheit is already working with this model for the care of chronic wounds. A clear majority of doctors endorse a scenario that clearly regulates digital solutions includes. The most important thing for doctors is that they are relieved of everyday e-health solutions so that there is more time for the patient.

Photo: © photodune.net / francesco83

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