Changes in Medical Processes Due to Digitalization: Examples from Telemedicine

Healthcare systems organizing patient care in the classical way, where patients are treated either in outpatient medical practices or in hospitals, are running at their limits. Alternatives such as managed care models, which guide patients through the healthcare system, are already playing an increasing role. Recently, digitization and digitalization as well as telemedicine have entered the field with great hope. They are seen as potential instruments for optimizing existing processes in the healthcare system, with the expectation of implementing new ways of providing medical care. In telemedicine, medical services in the areas of consulting, diagnostics, and therapy are provided across geographical distances or time differences using various information and communication technologies. However, the potential of telemedicine in terms of its applications and integration into everyday medical care has not yet been fully exploited. In order to review the historical development and different areas of telemedicine, secondary literature data research was conducted to identify gaps and possibilities for improvement. This chapter describes how medical processes have changed as a result of digital technologies, what challenges and success factors have been identified in this transition, and what suggestions for improvement can be derived from current experience for implementation in everyday medicine.