Teleconsultations, or televisits, in elderly care offer numerous benefits for nursing home residents. They enable fast and uncomplicated medical advice without requiring patients to leave the facility or wait extended periods for an on-site physician visit.
In addition, the use of telemedicine in nursing homes significantly improves communication between nursing staff, general practitioners, and medical specialists. Seniors with chronic conditions, in particular, benefit from (additional) telemedical care and continuous medical support.
Teleconsultations, or televisits, in elderly care offer numerous benefits for nursing home residents. They enable fast and uncomplicated medical advice without requiring patients to leave the facility or wait extended periods for an on-site physician visit.
Teleconsultations and telemedicine in nursing homes offer numerous advantages for nursing home residents.
A telemedicine consultation
takes an average of [1] per patient.
of teleconsultations involve the use of medical devices[1]
of televisits enable a conclusive assessment of the patient’s health status[1]
of hospital admissions were prevented through routine televisits[2]
[1]M. Ohligs, Clinical interventions in aging 2020, 1427-1437.
[2]A.-C. Redeker, Journal of Medical Internet Research 2023.
Unlike a conventional video consultation, which enables a direct video call between physician and patient, a teleconsultation refers to professional communication between nursing staff and a remote physician (general practitioner or specialist).
In many cases, it is helpful, or even medically necessary, not only to have a live video image of the resident, but also to extend diagnostics through the use of medical devices.
For this purpose, our medical mobile workstation, the TeleDoc‑Mobile, integrates a variety of medical devices. The system can be used both for standard round documentation (e.g. in Connext Vivendi, Medifox Dan, myneva Heimbas, etc.) and for conducting virtual physician rounds with the resident’s attending general practitioner or specialist.
A fundamental prerequisite for a successful televisit in elderly care is a trusting (video‑based) conversation between physician and nursing staff, with the resident actively involved. For this reason, a second screen is mounted on the rear side of the system, allowing the resident to participate visually in the consultation. The remote physician controls the camera remotely.
Our TeleDoc system is modular and can be individually configured, for example, by integrating various medical devices.
As early as 2007, our founders – drawing on their experience in emergency medical practice – began asking how digitalisation could relieve emergency medical services while simultaneously enhancing the competencies of non‑physician personnel. This line of inquiry ultimately led to the development of the tele‑emergency physician (“Telenotarzt”).
Since 2017, we have focused specifically on implementing telemedicine solutions, including applications in elderly care. The TeleDoc system was developed with a strong focus on real‑world use and customer needs. In this process, we actively involved not only physicians and nursing staff, but also senior citizens themselves.
Medical diagnostics often require the use of medical devices. With the introduction of televisits in elderly care, however, physicians do not always need to be physically present. Supported by the attending nursing staff, clinical findings can be recorded directly in the resident’s room and transmitted live to the remote physician. For example, a nurse places the stethoscope on the patient’s chest while the connected physician determines whether pneumonia is present. Especially for patients with chronic conditions, telemedical remote diagnostics represent a significant improvement in quality of care.
All findings are documented in the TeleDoc software. Medical delegations are sent by the physician to the assisting staff “at the click of a button” and are confirmed once completed.
In this way, the TeleDoc system provides legal security on two levels: on the one hand, nursing staff are clearly informed about which actions are required and which are not; on the other hand, medical delegations are documented in a forensically secure manner.
Integrating telemedicine into nursing workflows helps improve quality of care and optimise healthcare delivery. That is why our software integrates seamlessly into your existing IT environment (for example, via interfaces to your nursing documentation systems) while we actively support you throughout the change‑management process.
Close collaboration with physicians and the assumption of delegated medical measures significantly strengthen the professional competence of nursing staff. As a result, they experience greater recognition, ultimately leading to increased motivation.
Data protection plays a central role in the use of telemedicine, particularly in nursing homes and specialist practices. This includes, above all, the protection of sensitive health data and compliance with legal requirements such as the GDPR. For this reason, each of our customers is provided with their own technically isolated private cloud. In addition, all data transmissions are protected using end‑to‑end encryption.
To fully leverage the benefits of telemedicine, proper training of nursing staff is essential. That is why we train both end users and multipliers/trainers who are then able to conduct internal training sessions themselves.
Should questions arise or issues occur despite this, our highly qualified support team will be happy to assist you by phone.
Our system meets the technical requirements for medical practices and video consultation services, particularly with regard to technical security and data protection. These requirements are defined in Annex 31b of the German Federal Master Agreement for Physicians (Bundesmantelvertrag‑Ärzte). You will find TeleDoc listed among the certified video service providers.
At Docs in Clouds, our customers are at the centre of everything we do. Their satisfaction motivates us to continuously improve our solutions.
More than 200 nursing homes already rely on our TeleDoc‑Mobile, including over 50 facilities in North Rhine‑Westphalia (NRW). Upon request, we are happy to connect you with one of our reference customers so that you can learn more about the practical use of televisits in elderly care.
aThe integration of telemedicine interfaces with systems such as Connext Vivendi, myneva, Cairful, C&S, Develop group, heimbas, and many others ensures the seamless integration of telemedicine into existing care processes. These interfaces are crucial for continuing to guarantee an efficient overall digital process while avoiding error-prone duplicate documentation.
Our TeleDoc system is entirely “made in Germany.” This applies to both software development and hardware integration. We source our components exclusively from Europe—from reputable and reliable manufacturers.
For me, telemedicine is an opportunity to reduce high‑pressure situations for nursing staff. Especially in elderly care, there is a shortage of physicians. Telemedicine allows us to obtain medical expertise quickly. At the same time, the burden on our nursing staff is reduced while job satisfaction increases. We hope to further reduce the number of hospital admissions in the future.
Arno Brauckmann
Director of Nursing Services
Stiftung EvA Gemünd, Schleiden‑Gemünd
Especially in elderly care, the shortage of medical specialists leads to unnecessary hospital admissions. Many of these medical interventions could also be carried out within the facility under medical supervision—in the best interest of patients, who perceive telemedical applications very positively across the board. Patients with advanced dementia, in particular, benefit from receiving care in their familiar environment. Telemedicine also supports staff satisfaction: our nursing personnel have acquired new medical knowledge through training and benefit greatly from being able to request rapid medical support in stressful situations
Tizian Pfister
Head of Finance
BeneVit Group, Mössingen
If not, we would be happy to hear where potential bottlenecks currently exist, for example:
In a complimentary and non‑binding consultation, we are happy to analyse your situation together and plan the next steps accordingly.
We are always here to support you with information about our TeleDoc‑Mobile, our TeleDoc software, or any other enquiries you may have. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions. Alternatively, you may already find an answer in our FAQ section.
he TeleDoc‑Mobile has been deployed in numerous projects aimed at improving telemedical care in elderly care facilities. Here are a few examples:
In 2018, the TeleDoc‑Mobile was tested as part of a project in Wermelskirchen. During the study period, the attending general practitioner reported that no urgent house visits were required. Prior to the study, however, unplanned urgent visits, particularly on weekends, occurred frequently (M. Ohligs, Clinical interventions in aging 2020, 1427-1437).
AIDA Project: In 2021, a nursing home in the Eifel region implemented our system. The data showed that unplanned hospital admissions among residents decreased by 35.7% compared to 2018/19 (P < .0001) after residents began receiving regular televisits from their general practitioner. As a result, the statutory health insurer AOK concluded the selective contract “VisitOn” with 11 nursing homes and continues to promote virtual house visits (A.-C. Redeker, Journal of Medical Internet Research 2023).
OPTIMAL Project: As part of this project, 24 nursing homes in the Aachen district region were connected to our system. Unlike AIDA, the focus here was on acute situations where medical advice was required but the general practitioner was not available. These 24 facilities were therefore able to contact a physician from the emergency department of Aachen University Hospital via teleconsultation 24/7.
In addition, our service has been in use by more than 100 customers in Germany and the Netherlands since 2019.
Video consultations are an efficient form of medical counselling and support; however, they do not replace telemedicine that includes medical diagnostics. Diagnostic tools are essential for precise diagnoses, ruling out serious conditions, and monitoring disease progression. Medical devices provide objective data that enable well‑founded clinical decisions and personalised treatment. For these reasons, medical diagnostics are indispensable for comprehensive care and improved outcomes in telemedicine, also from a legal perspective.
Physicians can bill teleconsultations under EBM and GOÄ, as we are a certified video service provider listed by the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV).
More information on reimbursement can be found here.
In principle, nursing homes cannot bill teleconsultations or televisits, as these are physician services billed directly to health insurance providers. However, two selective contracts created within pilot projects allow for the billing of services provided by nursing facilities in the context of delegated medical services, as well as the performance of video consultations.
These are the VisitOn selective contract in North Rhine‑Westphalia (valid from 01 June 2023 to 31 May 2025), and the selective contract in Saxony (valid from 01 January 2023 to 31 December 2024).
Pflegeeinrichtungen Telekonsil und Delegation § 140a SGB V ab 1.1.23
Televisiten verbessern die medizinische Versorgung in der stationären Pflege
Yes, there are several funding opportunities available for telemedicine investments. One option is the Nursing Staff Strengthening Act (Pflegepersonal‑Stärkungsgesetz, PpSG). Under this act, inpatient nursing facilities can receive a one‑time grant of up to EUR 12,000 for the acquisition of digital or technical equipment. Up to 40% of the funds invested by the nursing facility are eligible for reimbursement.
In Saxony, for example, projects in the field of healthcare digitalisation and telemedical applications are funded. Eligible costs include personnel and material expenses, as well as investments and external services. In this context, 80% of the costs are subsidised. More information can be found here:
eHealthSax – Teil A – Digitalisierung im Gesundheitswesen und telemedizinische Anwendungen
In teleconsultations, responsibility for the diagnosis and resulting medical decisions lies with the treating physician. The professionals who carry out the delegated tasks are subsequently responsible for ensuring that these tasks are performed correctly.
Yes, we are happy to provide training on the use of the TeleDoc‑Mobile in conjunction with the purchase of the product. During the training, all relevant hardware and software functions are explained to you, your staff, and participating physicians.
The goal of the training is first and foremost to reduce any initial hesitation in using telemedical equipment. Following this, you and your team will be optimally prepared to implement televisits in elderly care!
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Enjoy the highest level of data privacy with our TeleDoc-Starter video consultation service, which complies with the GDPR regulations. Our platform follows the strictest IT security standards, keeping your patients’ information confidential and protected. It uses state-of-the-art security features and encryption methods, preventing your patients’ medical data from being accessed by unauthorized parties.
We place special emphasis on the comprehensive data protection of your patients. Therefore, we use end-to-end encryption during every video consultation. This means that the video connection exists solely between the involved devices, and third parties cannot access it.
In addition, we set up a dedicated and secure MedCast Cloud for each client, where all data and documentation collected during the conversation are encrypted and stored. Access to this data is exclusively reserved for you as the client, as you have the corresponding key to decrypt and access the information. This ensures the highest level of confidentiality and security for your sensitive information.
Enjoy the highest level of data privacy with our TeleDoc-Starter video consultation service, which complies with the GDPR regulations. Our platform follows the strictest IT security standards, keeping your patients’ information confidential and protected. It uses state-of-the-art security features and encryption methods, preventing your patients’ medical data from being accessed by unauthorized parties.
We place special emphasis on the comprehensive data protection of your patients. Therefore, we use end-to-end encryption during every video consultation. This means that the video connection exists solely between the involved devices, and third parties cannot access it.
In addition, we set up a dedicated and secure MedCast Cloud for each client, where all data and documentation collected during the conversation are encrypted and stored. Access to this data is exclusively reserved for you as the client, as you have the corresponding key to decrypt and access the information. This ensures the highest level of confidentiality and security for your sensitive information.
