Innovation Barriers for Telemonitoring

Abstract

Over 1000 studies about telemedicine and telemonitoring have been published. Despite this huge number of studies and indications that telemonitoring systems do reduce cost of medical care, there is only minor use of these systems outside research projects.

This situation might indicate the existence of innovation barriers. So innovation barriers for telemonitoring systems have been developed. An expert study was conducted with 23 experts to identify and weight possible innovation barriers. The interviewed group consisted of telemonitoring providers, doctors and health insurances. The interviews consisted of a numeric and a qualitative part.

As results the major identified barriers in Germany are: missing reimbursement of telemonitoring systems by health insurances, unclear business models and high costs of change for the health providers. Health insurances declared, that the studies showing cost reductions do not convince them due to a lack of consistent methodology and a different cost bases in studies when compared to their own cost base for a particular case of illness. All interview partners from health insurances have been highly interested, so future research needs integrate health insurances and show how viable other business models might look like.