Interface strengthens health services

The digital health and social compass of the district of Lörrach is now available gesundheitsinformation.de the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) connected. The connection was presented on 14 April at the Landratsamt Lörrach as part of the “Health Information Day”. This is the first time that a technical link between tested health information and regional offers has been implemented at the municipal level.

Many people first search for health information on the Internet and encounter a confusing flood of information of different quality, which is not always easy to classify. The new interface provides a remedy here: users can now find comprehensibly prepared, scientifically tested information on diseases, treatment and prevention on Gesund Sozial.digital – directly linked to suitable offers in the district. Specialists can also use this content specifically in consulting and care.

The event was attended by numerous representatives from clinics, welfare associations, advisory bodies and other institutions. In a subsequent workshop, concrete application possibilities were discussed in everyday treatment and consulting and impulses were collected for the further development of the platform.

Mr. Marion Dammann stressed: “Our goal is to help people to find a better way to cope with health and welfare. When audited information and concrete offers are combined, this creates a direct benefit for citizens as well as for professionals. ‘

Oli Lou Kramer, Project Manager Gesund Sozial.digital, sees the integration as a further milestone in the development of the platform and also a great added value for the population: “The platform Gesund Sozial.digital is further strengthened as a reliable point of contact for health and social issues in the district.”

Dr. Inger Scheike from the Health Information Department at IQWiG highlighted that understandable and evidence-based information helps citizens to better understand health issues and make informed decisions. Through the integration into a municipal platform, these contents are directly usable in everyday life.

Carlo Wolf, deputy managing director of AOK Hochrhein-Bodensee, also made it clear that health competence and prevention play a crucial role in sustaining the health system.

Background

The concept of the digital health platform Gesund Sozial.digital was developed within the framework of the primary care project “Healthy in the district – future-proof care”. From the outset, the aim was to provide quality-assured health information. The development of the interface is part of a larger context: several municipalities and districts in Germany, as well as the district of Lörrach, are working on digital solutions for a sustainable public service. The district of Lörrach was already involved in the model project “Smarte.Land.Regionen” and after the project ended it entered into professional exchange with municipalities as part of the “Smart Cities Model Project”, which also develop health platforms. Thus, a cooperation developed in the conception and implementation of the interface with the districts of St. Wendel, Kusel and Wunsiedel. The district of Lörrach has now implemented the integration first, the other participating districts are preparing the introduction.