Digital interprofessional consultation
Internationally, digital methods have already been used successfully for many years to ensure comprehensive healthcare - especially in countries with sparse population and large rural areas (e.g. Australia, Canada, USA). In these countries, data and images are regularly transmitted by caregivers from the home to the general practitioner's or specialist's office for progress monitoring, therapy determination, prescription of remedies, or even diagnostic clarification. In addition to the data transfer, there is also virtual exchange between the nurse, family doctor and relatives on the current state of health of the patient, as well as a discussion of further nursing and medical therapy, similar to a visit in a clinical setting.
In Germany, the exchange of patient-related data has so far taken place primarily between physicians (e.g., primary care physicians and specialists) and hospitals via digital media. Digital exchange of information of any kind between nursing services and general practitioners does not usually take place. The goal of the TeleCare project is therefore to improve the healthcare of patients in home care by establishing an interprofessional digital visit, with the active involvement of nursing services and family doctors.
