Further promotion of health sector digitalization in Germany

With the support of Aaron.ai, the first health application from the project “KBV Future Practice” ("KBV-Zukunftspraxis") was launched in Germany. About 50 medical practices are now testing the smart telephone assistant in their daily work. The evaluation of the practical tests is carried out by the Charité.

With the project “KBV Future Practice,” the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV), together with the Associations of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KVen), promote digitalization in the healthcare sector. A total of ten innovative applications were selected in an “Ideas Competition 2018” (“Ideenwettbewerb 2018”) and will be tested gradually in the participating practices.

Aaron.ai promises better telephone accessibility and discharge of reception in the practices due to the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

The smart telephone assistant will initially be tested and evaluated in about 50 practices until mid-2021. Patients who call one of the practices in case if the phone is not busy, for example, then reach the telephone assistant. It asks if they need a (follow-up) prescription or to make an appointment. The practice team gets this information displayed on the computer and can contact the patient in a timely manner - by phone or SMS.

For the evaluation of the practical tests of all applications and services, KBV works together with the Charité. The impact of the interactive answering machine use on the efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of care, as well as its acceptance by patients, is being investigated in individual practices as well as in medical care centers. Furthermore, possible organizational and technical challenges in the implementation into existing practice structures are analyzed as well.

The brief overview of the “Ideas Competition 2018” winners is presented in the table: 

• Aaron.ai is an AI-based telephone assistant (software) that takes calls from the practice when medical assistants are overburdened. Focus in the practice test: possibility of a reduction of bureaucracy in the medical practice
• Ada/Dx is software for preterm diagnosis or diagnostic support for rare diseases using an AI-controlled questionnaire. Focus in the practice test: assessment of the doctors and patients acceptance
• XpertEye is a "you see what I see" solution based on smart glasses in combination with a smartphone. It allows users to transfer knowledge and expertise across real-time distances by transmitting the field of view, gestures, and voice and sharing it with an expert. Focus in the practice test: Possibility of improving the medical care of home residents and non-mobile patients
• Respiro is a solution designed to improve the treatment of respiratory diseases through sensor-based feedback (inhaler add-on) and AI. Focus in the practice test: Possibility of subjective improvements in therapy effectiveness and support for the management of chronically ill patients; assessment of the doctors and patients acceptance
• Doctorly is a cloud-based practice management software (PMS) offering a holistic platform for physicians and patients. Focus in the practice test: Assessment of the benefits and acceptance of a cooperative PMS alignment between doctor and patient
• The KLINDO software is used for the digital recording and evaluation of standardized psychometric questionnaires in medical, psychological and psychotherapeutic practices. Focus in the practice test: Possibility for reducing bureaucracy in psychotherapeutically oriented practices; assessment of the digital diagnostic support
• DermaFC is a laser-assisted dermatofluoroscopy device that detects pathological changes in cancer cells based on the skin pigment melanin at a very early stage. The basis is the combination of laser technology with AI. Focus in the practice test: Possibility of useful diagnostic support for dermatologists and general practitioners
• RED Medical is a web-based cloud PMS or physician information system already certified by KBV. Focus in the practice test: Assessment of the benefits and acceptance of such a virtualized PMS solution; assessment of the time saved in practice due to the completely external system support
• Idana is software for physicians in combination with an app for patients digitally supporting routine processes, especially the medical history gathering. Focus in the practice test: Possibility of the improvement in the medical history and a simplification of the practice procedures; the ways of these data usage
• Intellimago is a cross-site, cross-linking total solution for dermatological-specialist services and dermatoscopic diagnostics using AI. The basis is a picture archive software for dermatoscopes. Focus in the practice test: Possibility to improve the cooperation between specialists and family doctors; possibility of support for the family doctors and dermatologists internal practice organization

The full details in German can be found here.The promotion of digitalization is also observed in private medicine sector: in early September 2019, the Association of Private Health Insurance (Der Verband der Privaten Krankenversicherung, PKV-Verband) has launched a venture capital fund designed to help healthcare start-ups. The fund will provide 100 million euros to private health insurance companies. Investments will focus on areas such as digital health applications, telemedicine, digital prevention, and digitization of care. Partners of the private health insurance association in the management of the new fund are the Berlin digital health investors "Heartbeat Labs" and "Flying Health."

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