What requirements must telemedicine systems meet, especially as it relates to emergency medicine?
Häuser: When it comes to using telemedicine systems as part of emergency care operations, data and information should be exchanged in real-time and shared simultaneously with all parties involved.
Most importantly, they need an uninterrupted network connection via a mobile service for example. Meanwhile, this obviously is not always the case, especially in rural areas where it can take longer for ambulance vehicles to get to their destination.
Needless to say, in addition to the reliability of software and technology in the emergency vehicle, it is also crucial to account for the human factor – that means training the emergency response team to safely and competently use all equipment and learn new processes.
What limits the comprehensive use of telemedicine in emergency medicine in your eyes?
Häuser: Needless to say, aside from a mobile network connection and staff training, it is also essential to clarify data protection issues, especially in the wake of the General Data Protection Regulation (DSGVO). There is also a need to set up data exchange standards; so far there are only point solutions. Meanwhile, the different devices and systems must be compatible to facilitate an effective and comprehensive use in the field. That is also one of the areas where we want to offer our support to policy-makers in an advisory capacity.
Speaking of politics: In closing, I would like to know where Germany ranks compared to other countries when it comes to using telemedicine in emergency response settings?
Häuser: Some countries are true trailblazers. Especially the Scandinavian countries are well-developed and very advanced in this area. Of course, this is also due to their comparatively vast areas and lower concentration of hospitals. Austria has also been quite successful in implementing several projects. Compared to other countries, I see Germany ranking in the middle at the moment.