Digitization in the healthcare sector is in full swing. But it takes endless time until all obstacles have been eliminated. No wonder everyone, including politics, doctors, pharmacists and the patients, have their own interests, which they want to enforce. Last year, however, the German Medical Association at least already paved the way for telemedicine in Germany. Now, the e-prescription will not be long in coming. Hopefully!
Even the top organization of German pharmacies, ABDA, welcomed the project. The big mail-order pharmacies are already yearning for 2020, and then it’s time to do so. But also the many startups in the DACH region, who deal with telemedicine, should look forward to the introduction of the digital recipes. Because an online doctor’s visit only makes sense, if you do not have to pick up the prescription afterwards in paper form at the doctor.
Here are the list of all the telemedicine startups you need to know about.
arztkonsultation.de
The history of the Schwerin company arztkonsultation.de dates back to 2014. With ak OnlinePraxis they offer the opportunity to set up practice oriented video meeting hours. Flexible in practice, independent of location and taking into account the German health care system. The young company is led by Peter Zeggel.
Betriebsarztservice Holding
The company medical service is Heartbeat Labs. The startup promises its customers occupational health and safety from a single source. It is calculable, individual and legally secure. It’s also about telemedicine. The target group is above all companies in phases of growth and consolidation as well as sectors that are subject to rapid change. This new company is run by Philipp Schäfer and Hendrik Krawinkel.
Doc Cirrus
This Berlin based company Doc Cirrus, founded in 2012 by Torsten Schmal. It is initially positioning itself as a doctor and practice software. At the telemedicine have the captains who employ about 40 people but also thought. The startup promises billable, audit-proof teleconsulting and online consultation hours directly from the case file.
Eedoctors
The Swiss company Eedoctors, which is based in Bern, is also involved in the trend topic of telemedicine. The Confederates describe themselves as the first virtual doctor’s office for the smartphone. The eedoctors doctors are highly competent general practitioners and emergency physicians. They issue a recipe if necessary. Their service is recognized by Swiss health insurances.
Fernarzt
Like the big competitor Zava, a long distance doctor, who was spurred on by the Berlin based company Heartbeat Labs, resides in the UK. The startup, led by Ahmed Wobi, has the German market but firmly in view. Fernarzt currently covers topics such as hair loss, contraception or migraine. The treatment fee at Fernarzt is between 15 and 35 euros, depending on the type of treatment.
Kinderheld
The Berlin startup Kinderheld was founded in 2017 by Fabian Müller and Paul Hadrossek. The young platform positions itself as a telemedicine consulting portal for pregnant women and young parents. Users can chat on the platform with permanent midwives, including in the evenings, on weekends, or on public holidays. The company, which was also pushed by Heartbeat Labs, recently won W & W brandpool as an investor.
Medi24
The Bern based company Medi24, founded in 1999, is the pioneer among telemedicine companies. The startup has an interdisciplinary team of more than 120 professionals, including physicians and nurses, provides 24-hour telephone assistance on medical issues in all life situations.
Medgate
“We take the doctor to where our patients need him,” promises the Swiss company Medgate. Since 2000, Medgate has operated Medgate Tele Clinic, the largest medical telemedicine center in Europe. For on-site consultations, Medgate Mini Clinics, as well as the physicians and clinics of the Medgate partner network, are also available to patients.
Minxli
The Munich startup Minxli was launched by Jennifer Kelly and Uwe Bicker. Doctors and patients can communicate with each other via the app of the startup company. Inspired by innovation and the opportunities offered by new technologies. They want to offer doctors a new way of working that gives them the opportunity to better align the practice and their lives.
Patientus
On the Patientus platform, patients can talk to their doctor face to face in the video consultation hours via web browser in secure peer to peer connection. For example, surgical reports or x-ray images can be exchanged. The provider promises high security standards. Patientus was founded in 2012 by Jonathan von Gratkowski, Christo Stoyanov and Nicolas Schulwitz in Lübeck. Since 2017, the company has been part of the Burda subsidiary jameda.
TeleClinic
With TeleClinic the smartphone becomes a doctor’s office. The startup was initiated by Katharina Jünger, Reinhard Meier and business informatics expert Patrick Palacin. Idinvest Partners last invested 7 million euros in the Munich startup. Previously, Digital Health Ventures (DHV) invested 2 million in the young telemedicine company. TeleClinic is also behind docdirekt, a pilot project of the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians Kassenärztliche Vereinigung Baden-Württemberg (KVBW).
Vivelia
Behind Vivelia hides a startup around the coaching and psychotherapeutic counseling of people. They offer companies coaching for employees and executives who solve challenges and increase productivity and job satisfaction in digital, customer centered and scalable way.
Zava
The juvenile company Zava (formerly known as DrEd) describes itself as the largest online medical practice in Europe. Last year, the team from the German-English company handled 1 million consultations and treatments from afar. Most recently, 160 employees worked for Zava. Now the digital medical practice also wants to score points in Germany with its own branch.
Also published on Medium.