Study shows: patients are ready for video consultation, app and e-prescription

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Insured people are open to eHealth. Three quarters welcome the app on prescription – perhaps also because, in their opinion, doctors don’t take enough time to talk to patients. This is what the Healthcare Barometer 2020 shows.

Only half of the population currently counts the German health system among the three best in the world, while in 2016 almost two thirds agreed to the top 3 rating. The most important point of criticism concerns the medical treatment: Doctors take too little time for their patients, 40 percent of Germans complain. These are key results of the Healthcare Barometer 2020, a representative survey by the auditing and consulting company PwC among 1,000 citizens, which was published for the sixth time.

“Germany has long been considered one of the leading health nations in the world – and rightly so. But compared to other countries, Germany has fallen behind in recent years because it has really slept through digitization. This backlog in digital technologies – in combination with the dramatic shortage of skilled workers in the healthcare sector – leads to increasing dissatisfaction among patients. This can lead to a topic that will determine the political debate in the future, as is climate change today. Germany therefore urgently needs a sustainable eHealth strategy, ”says Michael Burkhart, Head of Health Management at PwC Germany.

Citizens welcome the federal government’s digitization strategy

The majority of citizens in Germany have a similar view: they have high expectations with the Digital Supply Act (DVG), which is intended to promote digitization in the German health care system. The insured welcome the fact that the innovation fund will be extended by 200 million annually until 2024 (80 percent), that administrative processes will be digitized (77 percent) and that health apps will be available on prescription (74 percent). The majority of citizens can easily imagine switching to digital forms of communication: 76 percent would use the electronic prescription, 54 percent are open to the video consultation and 70 percent confirm that the health app on prescription gives good guidance about which applications one is interested in have real benefits. The electronic transmission of the certificate of incapacity for work to the employer is even welcomed by 87 percent.

Concern about data protection and data security

However, citizens are also concerned about the use of their personal data. 93 percent therefore demand that information should not be passed on without their express consent. Because 77 percent fear that their data could be transmitted to commercial providers.

Hospitals: Patients trust their GP’s recommendation

The Germans are also relatively satisfied with their hospital landscape. After all, every second German citizen rates the care in German clinics as good or very good. It is noticeable that women take a more critical look at hospitals – only 44 percent of female patients give good grades compared to 58 percent of men. When choosing the right hospital, the family doctor is the most important point of contact (55 percent), followed by recommendations from friends and acquaintances (40 percent). Surprisingly, it is precisely the so-called digital natives (18 to 34-year-olds) who follow the advice of friends the most (51 percent). Review sites on the Internet and the clinic’s homepage only play a subordinate role for this target group (33 and 34 percent, respectively).

High level of satisfaction with your own health insurance

Even if the dissatisfaction of the citizens with the German health system increases – the trust in their own health insurance is unaffected. Compared to the previous year, the satisfaction of the insured even increased slightly: from 86 to 88 percent. Eight out of ten study participants confirm that they receive all the services that are necessary for good medical care. However, there is a clear difference between those with private and statutory insurance: 90 versus 79 percent.

The image of pharmaceutical companies is improving

The drug manufacturers have long struggled with the image that they are primarily concerned with maximizing profits. But the picture is gradually changing: While 76 percent agreed with this statement in 2014, it is currently only 68 percent. At the same time, the number of those who describe pharmaceutical companies as innovative companies is increasing (2014: 15 percent; 2019: 19 percent). The expectation that the pharmaceutical industry will develop new products to combat disease is high: 69 percent of citizens want innovations. In contrast, only 23 percent think the industry should focus on developing cheaper generics.

Photo: pexels.com

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