Telenotarz project in Saxony-Anhalt: Rescue from a distance!

Telenotarz project in Saxony-Anhalt: Rescue from a distance!

in Halle, in the Saalekreis and in the Mansfeld-Südharz, an exciting pilot project has been implemented since October, which is to combat the lack of doctors in the emergency services. So -called telenotologists are used, which are switched on via a screen to advise rescue workers and patients. The current project has already provided some positive response, as reported.

the heart of this project are the telenotologists, which come to the move, especially in less urgent cases. This means that patients do not always have to be transported even in the case of unclear clinical pictures, which not only saves time, but also resources in the overloaded rescue system. Hartmut Stefani, the medical director of the Merseburg-Querfurt emergency services, emphasizes that there is often no constraint in such situations. The telenoticians offer support, for example in the administration of pain medication.

daily use of the telenoticians

In the past few months, telenotologists have already been in use over 520 times, a sign that this innovative form of emergency medicine has arrived in everyday life. [MDR] (https://www.mdr.de/nachrichten/sachsen-anhalt/positivees-fazit- Einerotaerzt-100.html) reports that the paramedics receive active support in their work, in particular in the event of decision-making or the explanation of findings. Over 98 percent of the attempts to achieve a telenot doctor were successful, which underlines the effectiveness of the system.

The telenotologists are not only responsible for acute advice, but can also communicate directly with the patients. With access to vital data such as blood pressure and heart rate, a comprehensive assessment of the patient's state of health is possible. In coordination with the emergency paramedics, even hospital admissions can be avoided, which is particularly important in remote regions.

from the pilot project to nationwide supply

The idea behind this pilot project is not only the relief of the emergency services, but also an exemplary step towards a more comprehensive implementation of telemedicine in Germany. Because emergency care faces significant challenges: increasing number of patients, shortage of skilled workers and insufficient networking are major issues that need to be addressed. The new emergency reform, which was adopted by the Federal Cabinet in July 2024, has the goal of solving these problems with increasingly telemedical approaches. TelMedicon describes that associations are obliged to offer telemedical and excessive forms of care.

The previous successes with the telenot doctors could serve as the basis for introducing similar systems in other regions. The opportunities of telemedicine, especially in rural areas, are enormous: from faster diagnoses and treatment decisions to the relief of emergency rooms due to early care. However, it remains to be seen to what extent existing challenges such as digitization or data protection can be mastered.