From summer 2020 on, any doctor in Germany will be able to...

From summer 2020 on, any doctor in Germany will be able to prescribe digital health applications to the 72 million insured citizens of the statutory healthcare system. We summarized the key elements and criteria and added a more detailed presentation to help you prepare for this new German digital health age. / 26. November 2019

VON HENRIK MATTHIES

The statutory German healthcare system is with 72 million insured citizens the largest consistent healthcare system in Europe, and per capita spending even worldwide. It is known for its robustness and above-average effectiveness. Yet, it was almost closed for any form of digital health innovations. The German system still operates without electronic health records or e-medication, and it has only in very limited conditions opened up to digital health applications.

This has changed with the German Parliament’ decision on November 7th to pass the DVG (“Digitale Versorgung Gesetz” / “digital healthcare act”). Among many groundbreaking changes, like the opportunity for statutory health insurances to invest into VC funds to expedite digital health innovations’ market-readiness, the DVG also paves a clear, structured way for digital health applications (in Germany in short “DiGA”) into reimbursement – the so-called Fast Track: