Proposal for Implementing a New Medical Care Delivery System presented by the Commission
In a bid to modernize the German healthcare system, Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) has proposed a bill that aims to extend the use of video consultations for sick notes and reimburse digital care assistants for insured persons in statutory long-term care insurance.
The Joint Federal Committee (G-BA) has been tasked with adjusting the guideline for the determination of work incapacity during video consultations. This move allows for an extension of sick leave to be done digitally, beyond the current seven-day limit during pandemic times. However, the bill does not specify when this extension would take effect outside of pandemic times.
The bill also proposes that the corresponding guideline should be adjusted by the G-BA for the use of digital care assistants, such as apps, for organizing care, fall prevention, continence management, and monitoring or documenting the condition of the person being cared for using sensors. These apps can potentially be used for people in need of care in nursing homes or at home.
The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices is responsible for the approval and testing of these apps to ensure their safety and effectiveness. Spahn plans that insured persons in statutory long-term care insurance should have a claim to the reimbursement of these digital care assistants.
However, the bill does not provide information on any potential costs or funding for the implementation of these proposed changes. It also does not mention any changes to the process for initial sick leave determinations outside of pandemic times or any changes to the process for determining work incapacity beyond the framework of a video consultation during pandemic times.
The highest decision-making body of the statutory health insurance, responsible for adapting guidelines such as those for exclusive sick leave via video consultations, is the Verwaltungsrat (Administrative Board) of the GKV-Spitzenverband (National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds).
The "Act for the Digital Modernization of Care and Nursing" draft is part of a broader effort to digitize healthcare services in Germany, making them more accessible and efficient for both patients and healthcare providers. The bill, as reported by "Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland," allows for an initial sick leave and an extension to be done digitally, without personal contact between patient and doctor.
As the bill progresses through the legislative process, more details are expected to emerge about its implementation and potential impact on the German healthcare system.
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