AUTHOR=Giebel G. D. , Abels C. , Börchers K. , Kampka B. , Neusser S. , Cissarek H. R. , Plescher F. , Wasem J. , Blase N. 

TITLE=Integration of digital health applications into the German healthcare system: development of “The DiGA-Care Path”

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Health Services

VOLUME=Volume 4 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/health-services/articles/10.3389/frhs.2024.1372522

DOI=10.3389/frhs.2024.1372522

ISSN=2813-0146

ABSTRACT=Introduction: Since 2019 people insured in the German statutory health insurance are entitled to use certified apps, so-called Digitale Gesundheitsanwendungen [Digital Health Applications (DiGA)]. The prerequisite for this is that an app certified as DiGA and suitable for their diagnosis exists. The DiGA can then either be prescribed by a physician or psychotherapist or requested by the patient from the statutory health insurance fund. Given the novelty of this type of healthcare, the implementation of DiGA should be closely monitored to identify potential weaknesses and achieve quality improvements. To enable an analysis of the DiGA supply step-by-step, we aimed to create the DiGA-Care Path.Methods: We conducted three steps to create the DiGA-Care Path. First, a knowledge base was created based on a structured literature research matched with knowledge gathered from the superordinate research project "QuaSiApps" funded by the German Federal Joint Committee. Second, we aimed to create an "ideal-typical" DiGA-Care Path using a flowchart. Third, based on the first path, a final path was developed using the graphical modeling language "Event-Driven Process Chain".Results: The DiGA-Care Path was developed to depict the DiGA supply in Germany. The final path is constituted by a "main path" as well as a corresponding "sub-path". While the "main path" aims more on the supply environment in which DiGA are used, the "sub-path" depicts the supply delivered by the DiGA itself. Besides the process itself, the paths include relevant actors to indicate responsibilities for individual process steps.Discussion: The DiGA Care-Path helps to analyze the current DiGA supply step-by-step. Thereby, each step can be investigated in detail to identify problems and to detect steps where quality improvements can be enabled. Depending on the perspective either on the supply environment, or the supply delivered by the DiGA itself, either the "main path" or the "sub-path" can be used respectively. Besides the potential of the DiGA-Care Path to improve the current DiGA supply, it can help as an orientation for international policy makers or further stakeholders which aim to include mHealth apps as an integral part of their healthcare systems.either to develop their own integration of