SHERIDAN, WYOMING – Feb. 13, 2025 – With approximately 120 participants, the second virtual Telemedicine Congress North took place on February 5, 2025. The congress was organized by the German Society for Telemedicine (DGTelemed) and the ZTG Center for Telematics and Telemedicine GmbH. The recording is now available on the YouTube channel of ZTG GmbH.
Focus on Regional Solutions in Northern Germany
Federal states such as Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Lower Saxony share the desire for comprehensive and high-quality medical care. What contribution can digitalization and telemedicine make to security and equality of care? This was discussed by representatives of the states of Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Lower Saxony, moderated by Prof. Dr. Neeltje van den Berg (University Medicine Greifswald) and Dr. Franz Bartmann (member of the board of DGTelemed).
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: Overcoming Challenges in Rural Areas
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is tackling the shortage of neurological practices and the resulting appointment scheduling problems with the innovation fund project "NetKoH – Neurological Consultation with Family Doctors". To relieve the burden on neurological practices, a tele-neurologist is available in the clinic during usual hours. Prof. Dr. med. Felix von Podewils, Executive Senior Physician at the Clinic and Polyclinic for Neurology at Greifswald University Medical Center, describes: "Family doctors can jointly triage in on-time consultations: Can treatment be carried out in the family doctor's practice? Is a referral to a neurological practice required or an urgent admission to the nearest clinic?" Initial results suggest that patient flows are significantly optimized. Fewer patients are referred to neurologists. Hospital admissions take place more appropriately and in a more structured manner.
Sarah Heimbuch from the Institute for Community Medicine at Greifswald University Medical Center provided insights into neuropediatrics. Demographic and structural conditions in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern mean that pediatric departments in clinics can hardly be operated economically and to a high standard. The situation becomes even more extreme when specialist care is required. The result is long journeys and waiting times for appointments. In the innovation fund project RTP-Net (Regional Telepediatric Network), telemedicine specialist consultations including data transmission were carried out to test whether these could increase the proportion of local care. The evaluation shows that 76% of patients were able to continue treatment on site with the support of teleconsultations. In the control group, this was only 41%.
Lower Saxony: Digital Networking for Healthcare Professionals
Dr. Phillip Walther, Deputy Chairman of the Initiative Gesundes Ostfriesland e. V., which bundles and coordinates regional projects, presented the initiative. A digital, regional care network has emerged from over 100 players. Three working groups reflect the topics addressed by the association: 1) health, nursing and social care professionals, 2) healthcare and digitalization, and 3) health promotion and social affairs. Digital projects in the association include teleconsultations between nursing homes and family doctors (including TI Messenger) and telemonitoring of heart patients together with Dr. med. Eimo Martens from the Telemedicine Center of the TU Munich (DGTelemed board member). Dr. Walther is particularly pleased about three-year funding from the Aurich district for a telemedically supported community health nurse.
Schleswig-Holstein: Award-Winning Telemedicine for Children with Cancer
The winners of the 2024 Telemedicine Award presented themselves with the innovation fund project "KULT-SH – Pediatric Oncology Examination through High-Performance Telemedicine in Schleswig-Holstein" (Prof. Dr. Dr. Fabian-Simon Frielitz, Head of Telemedicine, Digitalization and Economics in Medicine at Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, and Prof. Dr. Denis Schewe, Head of the Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology at the University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden). In Schleswig-Holstein, long journeys to specialized clinics are common. This is particularly challenging for children in the intensive phase of cancer therapy and their families. 36% of the 48 study participants had an average one-way journey of 86km. The evaluation shows that by including the KULT-SH app, over 42,000 km of travel could be saved. Among other things, video consultations were held and vital parameters were recorded via external sensors. Frielitz and Schewe added that the Telemedicine Award had a strong external impact and could make it easier to apply for further funding for important projects.
Telemedicine in Everyday Practice
Frederik C. Denis, Managing Director of HowRyou GmbH, demonstrated telemedicine in everyday practice. The "NEDINA®" care assistance platform gives security to people in need of care and their relatives, reduces loneliness and creates satisfaction. People in need of care have the opportunity to stay in their own homes, as relevant information is collected by means of sensors and AI, and the relevant people are notified in the event of conspicuous situations. The people affected also remain socially integrated via video communication. This leads to workload relief, quality improvement and greater life satisfaction. "NEDINA®" is suitable for both private and professional use in care.
Dr. med. Hendrik Schönbohm, Chairman of the Board of Family Doctors of the Rendsburg Medical Quality Community (MQR) eG, and Uta Clausen, pneumological assistant, presented the "TeLAV – Telemedical Lung Function App with Networking" care project (funded by the care security fund). TeLAV pursues the goal of providing care for patients with impaired lung function such as COPD in their home environment through innovative telemedical monitoring. The patients report better self-efficacy, more control and an associated increase in security. The evaluation of the project showed that the digital spirometry was well received and that patients were more stable (in terms of medication), which meant that hospital stays could be avoided.
Discussion: The Future of Care in Northern Germany
Representatives of the federal states then discussed the future of care under the moderation of Rainer Beckers (DGTelemed board member and Managing Director of ZTG GmbH). The discussants, including Christian Nestler, Head of the Department of Future-Oriented Healthcare in the Ministry of Social Affairs, Health and Sport Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Dominik Völk, Head of the Healthcare Department in the Ministry of Justice and Health of the State of Schleswig-Holstein, emphasized the importance and necessity of digital solutions in cross-sectoral cooperation. In view of demographic change, ensuring care in rural regions is becoming an increasingly important challenge.
Another central topic was the financing of projects. Many initiatives ran the risk of expiring if no solutions for transitional financing were developed. For example, the care security fund, which was originally introduced as start-up financing for cross-sectoral health projects in Schleswig-Holstein, was suspended this year due to the tense budget situation. This means that new projects can no longer be started.
The need for regional solutions and the lack of suitable management structures required for the coordination and management of digital health projects were also discussed. The development of networks based on the "Gesundes Ostfriesland e. V." model could be a solution to promote regional health initiatives and secure them in the long term.
Rainer Beckers concludes: "It is important to engage in discussions with all stakeholders and strengthen cooperation between care, self-administration, politics, research and business. A stable political framework enables innovative projects to establish sustainable solutions that, in the best case, can be permanently transferred to standard care in order to support healthcare, particularly in rural regions."
German Society for Telemedicine
The DGTelemed e. V. sees itself as a forum for communication, discussion and advocacy in telemedicine in Germany and Europe.
Patient orientation and the optimization of cooperation between service providers, healthcare service and medical technology companies, associations and organizations are part of the basic understanding of their actions.
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