Effective immediately, physicians can simply prescribe and recommend digital health applications 

The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte, BfArM) has listed the first "digital health applications" (Digitale Gesundheitsanwendungen, DiGAs) – also referred to as "apps on prescription" – that can be prescribed by physicians. Physicians with specific CompuGroup Medical (CGM) physician information systems can prescribe DiGAs effective immediately for free and in their customary daily practice. To make the prescription as convenient as possible, CGM has developed the APP PRESCRIPTION CENTER, which is specifically designed for the display and prescription of health applications. The prescribed apps can also be redeemed by patients easily and conveniently via the CLICKDOC Health Center. With this, CompuGroup Medical is creating a DiGA platform from a single source for health professionals and patients.

The APP PRESCRIPTION CENTER is free of charge and automatically integrated into the prescription process of the CGM TURBOMED and CGM ALBIS physician information systems of CGM. Additional software lines will follow shortly with the next update. The Prescription Center enables physicians to add health applications to a standard prescription straightforwardly with only a few clicks. The Prescription Center is compared and updated on a daily basis with the catalog of reimbursable apps that are approved by the BfArM.

"Digital applications make healthcare more connected and forward-looking," emphasizes Dr. Eckart Pech, Managing Director Consumer and Health Management Information Systems. "It is our ambition to develop a platform with innovative solutions that enable patients, health professionals, manufacturers and funding agencies to have the greatest possible exchange of information and benefit."

Patients are supported by the CLICKDOC Health Center at www.clickdoc.de in redeeming their prescribed applications and can inform themselves about DiGAs and other health applications. Thus, the service from CLICKDOC – such as, among others, physician searches, online appointment booking and video consultations – that was already known, has been upgraded. With an app prescription from the physician, patients initially still receive a traditional paper prescription. The CLICKDOC Health Center then supports the patient with the redemption process in which it provides all of the important information about the app, the manufacturer's support, the download options and the further steps to take with the health insurer until an activation code is received. Analogously to the ePrescription, this process will also be possible completely digitally in the future.

"It is our aim to improve patient care with innovative, practical and integral solutions, without additional costs for the physician, directly integrated into existing treatment procedures," says Frank Schellmann, Area Vice President Consumer Apps & CLICKDOC. "We find ourselves at a turning point towards integral, digitally-supported healthcare. In addition to video consultation and ePrescription, with the APP PRESCRIPTION CENTER, we are now providing another important, sustainable module for digital patient care."

Through the CGM LIFE partner program, CGM is offering a platform that makes it possible to sustainably integrate applications into the care landscape and thereby already show physicians and patients their benefit in practice. The integration of additional applications is therefore an important part of this for CGM.

Christian Senger, Area Vice President intermedix, adds: "From our experience in the field of prescribing drugs, we know that the information requirement is very high for medication, as well as well-known treatments. Digital healthcare applications are still completely new for many medical practitioners and patients. Therefore, we aim to create the best possible education about the effectiveness and use of the apps, as well as creating direct contact the support of the DiGAs. We intend to give physicians that certainty of only offering their patients high-quality solutions and tested information."