The use of telematics and telemedicine in healthcare from the perspective of the medical profession, the most important finding of which is that the majority of doctors recognises the benefits from the use of telematics and telemedicine in healthcare.
“We doctors are not afraid of telematics and Information Technology (IT), on the condition that technology is safe and does not undermine the doctor-patient relationship in any way.” This is how MD Frank Ulrich Montgomery, the Vice-president of the Federal Medical Society summarises the results of the survey.
Medical information is usually documented and archived by different doctors. During the patients’ treatment, doctors must be able to access all relevant health data quickly. This works only with the support of modern Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), since with the use of ICT data can be administered, transferred and interpreted systematically.
The electronic health card is an important component of the telematics infrastructure. The card has been successfully and extensively tested since December 2006.
The Federal Minister of Health, MD Philipp Rösler managed to bring together the different interests of doctors, health insurances, pharmacies and hospitals. Indeed, the health card now contains an emergency data record, an electronic doctor’s note and the so-called essential data of the insured people. The following applications are currently being prepared:
Verification/update of the essential data of the insured: With this functionality, the validity of data on the electronic heath card may be verified and updated, e.g. in case of a change of address.
Emergency data: With the consent of the insured, doctors can add data in the patients’ health record card, like for example pre-illnesses information which will give information on patients’ state of health. This can prove life-saving in case of an emergency.Data exchange between doctors: Doctors will be able to exchange information such as medical findings and laboratory results with one another in a safe way.
Source: ePractice EU