Digitalization in medicine: Population sees opportunities and risks

Significantly increased interest in video consultations

Interest in telemedicine services such as video consultations has increased, according to the study. Forty-three percent of respondents reportedly could imagine using them to avoid going to the doctor's office. That's 12 percentage points more than in 2019, but overall, more than half of the population still prefer to go to the doctor's office, the study found.
 

Interest in electronic patient records on the rise

According to the results, respondents are also more interested in the topic of electronic patient files. Just under two-thirds of the population would use them. Compared to 2019, the number of respondents who would use such an offer not only rather, but even definitely increased: 41 percent of all respondents are to make this statement. In 2019, the figure was still 31 percent.

Health apps are viewed in a differentiated manner

The assessment of medical benefits through health apps, on the other hand, has not changed. For example, they remind chronically ill patients to take their medication regularly. Helmut Hofmeier, Chief Health Officer at Continentalen, says: "The population is still divided as to whether the medical advantages or disadvantages of such apps outweigh the benefits. Even though, as other recent studies point out, doctors are now prescribing them more frequently."

According to the study, fewer people today than three years ago believe that such apps are more likely to make everyday life easier for people with illnesses overall. Only 51 percent of respondents - down 11 percentage points from 2019 - are said to think apps can provide relief in daily life. According to the results, 40 percent of respondents think that such apps give the disease more room in everyday life, as was the case in the last study.