According to the press release of SBK Siemens-Betriebskrankenkasse, one of the 20 largest statutory health insurance funds in Germany and the number one company health insurance fund, the fund is committed to educating its policyholders about digital and telemedical aspects of health care. In order to find out what wishes and fears insured persons have in the course of increasing digitalization, the statutory health insurance company launched an online survey by the market research institute YouGov in June 2020 with 2060 persons over 18 years of age, which can be assessed as representative. According to Dr. Gabriele Gonschor, the head of the new health care services at SBK, many of the insured are uncertain and unaware when digitalization comes into play as a personal supporter and companion in the health care system. The personal support and assistance and the educational work of doctors and health insurance companies play a major role in the use of digital services by insured persons. The survey showed, for example, that 80 percent of potential users would like doctors or experts to support the evaluation of information from digital offers. 64 percent would like explanations that they understand and 57 percent believe that employees of health insurance companies, for example, are obliged to present digital or telemedical innovations in a personal conversation. For Gonschor, this is a clear signal that although 60 percent of customers are looking for health and disease-related information on the Internet, there is a great deal of uncertainty when it comes to evaluating and understanding the information. Also, only two percent of those questioned have already taken advantage of video consultation hours, even during the Corona crisis, although the offers have increased enormously in times of crisis. According to the SBK expert, many users obviously find it difficult to assess digital applications individually. For this reason, she recommends more comprehensive educational work by doctors and health insurers, as well as recommendations for certain helpful products and the promotion of digital health competence among the insured, also with regard to the protection of personal data in the digitisation process.
