Video consultation for sick children is offered permanently
Parents with sick children can get help daily in the future by video speech. After a two -year test phase, the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians wants to introduce the service in Pediatric on -call duty daily from October 1. So far, the service had been tested and at public holidays.
« We are in the last trains of the tests and saw that they work very well, » says Armin Beck, deputy CEO of the KVH. The aim of the video offer is to save sick children and their parents their way to a standby center and prevent waiting times.
Families should be spared long travel and waiting times
But how exactly does the concept work? Parents of acute children and adolescents can make an appointment – so far on certain holidays – via the number 116117 between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. For example, on the long weekend in Corpus Christi (June 19 to June 22).
The employees then assess whether the symptoms are suitable for treatment by video and make an appointment with a pediatrician. The parents vote for this appointment via the link. « If in the preliminary discussion it is found that a physical examination of the child is necessary, the families will be further referred to the nearest pedial service center, » it says.
Video consultation is not suitable for all complaints
Of course, not all complaints were suitable for online care, for example very high fever or serious injuries, said Beck. On the other hand, patients with a wide variety of rashes, conjunctivitis, gastrointestinal infections up to recipe requests could be treated well for a video consultation.
The offer was tested for the first time on the long weekend on October 3, 2023. According to the information, around 1,500 treatments on holidays have been carried out around holidays since then. From October 1st, the offer should now be introduced permanently. This means that Wednesdays and Fridays from 2 p.m. to midnight, Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 p.m. to midnight and on weekends from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
And: « As the next step, this emergency supply via video should also be expanded for adults, » announces Beck.
