video consultation

New Regulations for Video Consultations Starting 03/01/2025

Good news! Since March 1st, new telemedicine regulations are in effect in Germany, agreed upon between the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians and the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds.

Medical practices are to offer more video consultations where medically sensible. Access is made easier and all patients - whether statutory or privately insured - are treated equally.

Important: New patients will not receive narcotics and will undergo an assessment procedure for urgency evaluation.

Starting September 1st, prioritization will occur based on urgency, with medically urgent cases being preferred. Practices should primarily care for patients in geographical proximity to strengthen the regional care structure and facilitate possible personal follow-ups.

The basis is the "Agreement on the Requirements for Securing the Quality of Care for Telemedical Services in Accordance with § 87 Paragraph 2a SGB V," which was concluded between the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) and the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds.

What Does the Video Consultation Mean for Medical Practices?

The video consultation has an interesting development history in Germany. Although the legal basis for telemedical services was established by the E-Health Act as early as 2017, initial use by doctors and patients was rather cautious. Skepticism towards digital treatment forms was high, and many doctors preferred direct patient contact.

With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, this changed abruptly. The contact restrictions led to an enormous digitization boost in the healthcare sector. Suddenly, video consultations were not only accepted but seen as an essential tool for maintaining medical care. The National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) reported an increase from about 1,700 video consultations in the first quarter of 2019 to over 1.2 million in the second quarter of 2020.

The legal foundations for video consultations were gradually expanded. In addition to the E-Health Act, the Digital Healthcare Act (DVG) of 2019 played an important role. It facilitated the billing of telemedical services and created incentives for doctors to offer them. With the Digital Healthcare and Nursing Modernization Act (DVPMG) of 2021, further barriers were removed, laying the groundwork for the permanent integration of telemedicine into regular care.

Video consultations are particularly popular among specialists in the fields of psychotherapy, neurology, and psychiatry. Here, personal contact plays an important role, but physical examinations are less necessary. In dermatology, where visual diagnoses are essential, video consultations are also frequently used. General practitioners increasingly use the technology for follow-up appointments and monitoring chronic conditions.

The new regulations from March 2025 represent another milestone and show that the video consultation is now firmly anchored in the German healthcare system. The equal treatment of all patients and prioritization based on medical urgency address important aspects of healthcare equity, while emphasizing the regional care structure ensures treatment continuity.

It is expected that video consultations will continue to gain importance in the coming years, supported by technological innovations and increasing digital competence among the population.