Telemedicine - Chances and challenges for medical genetics in Germany

Abstract

Telemedicine has been in practical use for many years, mostly within the context of model projects. The current Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the process of implementing telemedicine in standard care. Numerous regulations, as well as complex reimbursement structures play a role in the application of telemedicine in medical genetics in Germany. Discipline- and technology-specific challenges complicate the integration of technical solutions into the medical genetic practice. In previous studies teleconsultations and virtual consultations in medical genetics have proven their value as indicated by high levels of satisfaction in the users and showing no inferiority to in-person consultation in terms of psychosocial outcome. The next years will bring an increasing demand for genetic counseling that can hardly be met by the limited number of specialists in Germany. In this context telemedicine can help to close these gaps in standard care while strengthening the field by ensuring comprehensive medical genetic care. The German medical genetics community is asked to actively shape the process of implementation by defining areas of genetic counseling that are suitable for telemedicine, by regulating access for physicians and by contributing to the renumeration structures.