Doctors dissatisfied: German healthcare system struggles with complex software

The majority of doctors and psychotherapists in private practice (75%) would not recommend their current practice software to others. Almost half of practices are dissatisfied and struggle with errors in the practice management software or telematics infrastructure applications. This is the result of a survey conducted by the Central Institute for Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (Zi). According to the survey, around 60 percent of the approximately 10,000 doctors surveyed have their practice operations disrupted by software errors several times a week or every day. A scientific evaluation of the results is also in progress.

It is not always easy to analyze errors in telematics infrastructure products, as recently demonstrated by problems with the trust service provider Medisign. In order to find out whether the fault lies in the telematics infrastructure or in the practice management system, details of the problems were requested and then the frequency of the errors in the PVS or in the TI applications. "It should be noted that the cause of software errors can also lie outside the actual practice software, i.e. with the connector or gematik," according to the Zi press release. The 15 most popular practice management systems – measured using the Net Promoter Score – include Duria, Praxis-Programm and Tomedo.

According to the Zi evaluation, 23 software systems are in the negative range of the Net Promoter Score. Zi provides a list (PDF) of positively rated practice software for doctors and psychotherapists. However, there are also problems with the popular practice management systems. According to Zi, a quarter of satisfied users report that their software malfunctions "several times a week or daily". The proportion of dissatisfied users is around 60 percent.

"It should actually give providers a lot to think about if three out of four practices are not likely to recommend their current practice software to others. This dissatisfaction is fueled by sometimes even daily malfunctions of the TI or problems with the PVS, which hinder practice processes and thus restrict patient care," says Sybille Steiner, Member of the Board of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV).

Switch to better software recommended

The Zi therefore recommends financially promoting the switch to more efficient software solutions in order to improve medical care and support practices with the legally required digitalization. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach had already announced at the beginning of the year that doctors may have to change their practice software in order to implement the electronic patient file for all. The National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) has therefore repeatedly appealed to software manufacturers to conclude a framework agreement. This was drawn up by the KBV on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Health.

"Just as politicians provide financial support for the digitalization of hospitals, the switch to practice software systems that offer better functionality or a better service after prior testing and are therefore better suited to implementing the telematics infrastructure could be promoted," explains Zi Chairman Dr Dominik von Stillfried. A Zi survey conducted at the end of 2023 with 30,000 survey participants also showed how dissatisfied doctors are with the digitalization of the healthcare system.

(mack)