Use of Video Consultation Between 2017 and 2020 in Outpatient Medical Care in Germany and Characteristics of Their User Groups: Analysis of Claims Data

• DOI: 10.2196/60170
• Publication Date: 2025-01-27T22:31:44Z
• Authors: Theresa Hüer; Anke Walendzik; Lara Kleinschmidt; Klemens Höfer; Beatrice Nauendorf; Juliane Malsch; Matthias Brittner; Paul Brandenburg; André Aeustergerling; Udo Schneider; Anja Wadeck; Sebastian Liersch; Stephanie Sehlen; Katharina Schwarze; Jürgen Wasem
• Keywords: Preprint

Supplementing outpatient medical care with the use of video consultations could, among other benefits, improve access, especially in structurally disadvantaged areas. This claims data analysis, carried out as part German research project "Preference-based consultation urban and rural regions," aimed to analyze characteristics its user groups. Claims from 3 Statutory Health Insurance Funds (SHIFs) 4 Associations Physicians (ASHIPs) period April 2017 end 2020 were used. Data a sample about 6.1 million insured 33,100 physicians psychotherapists analyzed. In addition on consultations, patient sociodemographic characteristics, diagnoses, place residence included. To physicians' perspectives, specialty groups, demographic type practice location also consideration principles economy fact that analysis represents merely preliminary phase within broader project, SHIFs ASHIPs transmitted aggregated (cross-tabulations per subgroup analysis) evaluator. For this reason, analyses constrained comparison users versus nonusers, differentiated according aforementioned subgroups. Furthermore, association between or region was examined. A significance level P<.05 set for chi-square tests. From 2019, almost no used health system. Although changed considerably relative terms start COVID-19 pandemic (but still at very low absolute level), there clear decline number infections flattened out. working psychotherapy psychological around 16% (44,808/282,530) their treatment cases second quarter 2020, followed by using children (10,828/113,293, 10%). general practitioners high compared specialist share all 0.3% (29,600/9,837,118). Younger age groups those located areas more frequently; applies both patients (age groups: χ27=9903.2, P<.001; types: χ22=3746.2, P<.001) service providers χ23=11,338.2, χ22=8474.1, P<.001). The current is below potential scope widespread lasting will only succeed if accept form provision recognize advantages. Further (both qualitative, such focus group discussions, quantitative, preference surveys) should therefore investigate preferences consultations. RR2-10.2196/50932.