Central contact point for telemedicine in Apolda

The centre is set to begin its work at the start of next year and will then serve as a hub for medical research and practice. Among other things, doctors will be able to test telemedicine applications here; there are also options for further training in this field. Telemedicine offers, in times of staff shortages among health providers and long distances to doctors’ offices in rural areas, the possibility to deliver health services digitally in certain cases using modern technical solutions. An “Apoldaer Erklärung zur Telemedizin in Thüringen“ served WeCare and its partners to emphasise the growing importance of telemedicine for patient care, especially in rural areas. The goal of WeCare is a network of all relevant actors for the development of practice‑ready telemedicine applications. The activities are funded within the framework of the federal competition “WIR. – Wandel durch Innovation in der Region“ by the Federal Ministry of Research with 8 million euros over six years until 2027. (hw)