The Federal Office for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) has just approved the sixth „App on prescription“. The „Invirto“ app from the Hamburg-based company Sympatient is designed to help patients with panic attacks and anxiety disorders to get rid of them at home. The digital health assistant can then be used immediately as a so-called digital health application (DiGA) in psychotherapeutic treatment as a health insurance benefit for those with statutory health insurance, as long waiting times for therapy places make quick treatment almost impossible, especially since the corona pandemic. With the help of virtual reality situations and simulations of this kind, patients with claustrophobia (agoraphobia), panic disorders and other phobias are offered digital support and help from trained doctors and psychotherapists. Examples include elevator rides and visits to supermarkets, which are then practiced virtually, because it is not always the case that five million newly ill patients per year find quick help in a practice when the illness comes out of the blue, as it almost always does. Those affected have to deal specifically with panic and fear-inducing situations via „Invirto“. This exposure therapy, which complies with the guidelines and is part of the gold standard, is combined with cognitive behavioural therapy, always under the supervision of specialists who accompany the treatment after a clear diagnosis has been made. This is part of the treatment concept and is also covered by the statutory health insurance companies. The required VR glasses and headphones are also paid for by the insurance companies. Both can still be used free of charge after the end of the psychotherapeutic care, so that successes can continue to be consolidated at home.
Source: Healthcare Startups