Baden-Württemberg Invests €1.6 Million in Telemedicine to Improve Elderly Care in Nursing Homes

Baden-Württemberg is advancing elderly medical care in nursing facilities by investing approximately €1.6 million into six innovative televisit projects and a comprehensive scientific evaluation. The initiative aims to bring medical care directly to nursing homes, enhancing care quality while reducing patient travel and alleviating pressure on hospitals and emergency rooms. Health Minister Manne Lucha highlighted that televisits enable elderly patients to receive medical care safely within their familiar environments, combating challenges such as limited patient mobility, staff shortages, and coordination issues within long-term care.

The projects build on three pilot initiatives from 2024/2025, expanding with three new ones during the 2026/2027 funding period. Technical interfaces will be tested to automate data transfer and facilitate integration into standard care practices, potentially including changes to billing codes. Lucha emphasized, "The televisit is no longer a future project - it is the present. We want to further develop this standard and permanently integrate it into regular care."

A scientific evaluation will assess the implementation, acceptance, effectiveness, quality, and cost-benefit ratio of the televisit projects, providing insights into their transferability and impact. This effort aligns with broader healthcare challenges and reforms in Germany, as noted by Federal Health Minister Nina Warken, who stressed the need to establish good and affordable healthcare structures amid significant system pressures.

This strategic move by Baden-Württemberg represents a major step in leveraging digital technology to enhance elderly care, addressing both the immediate needs of nursing home residents and the systemic demands on healthcare providers.