Germany's statutory health insurers are pushing for digitalization in healthcare. They propose a mandatory digital navigation tool that must be used before visiting a doctor and could issue prescriptions or referrals without medical contact in some cases. The concept aims to better organize outpatient care amid staff shortages and financing issues.
The introduction of a primary care system is set to fundamentally reform Germany's healthcare. Patients will need to consult their general practitioner as the first point of contact before seeing a specialist. However, statutory health insurers are going further, advocating for a digital 'navigation tool' outlined in a concept from the association of health funds, obtained by the RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND).
'We must finally bring the German healthcare system into the digital present,' said deputy association chair Stefanie Stoff-Ahnis to RND. The tool's use should be mandatory before visiting a doctor's practice. It is accessible either as a smartphone app or by phone via the hotline 116117.
Through structured questions and data from the electronic patient record, urgency is assessed, and the patient is directed—such as to a GP appointment, emergency room, video consultation, or electronic referral. The association proposes a neutral appointment platform. 'Here, it's finally no longer about whether someone is statutorily or privately insured, but solely about medical necessity,' emphasized Stoff-Ahnis.
In the future, the tool could enable direct specialist referrals or follow-up prescriptions for well-managed chronic patients in certain cases, without doctor contact. 'There will certainly be certain care processes in the future that can be handled purely digitally, without any medical contact required at all,' she added.
On Tuesday, Federal Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU) will discuss the design of the primary care system with associations. A draft law is to be developed in the coming months, with implementation earliest in 2028.
