Digital participation in the doctor's surgery: opportunities and challenges for senior citizens

What does digital participation mean?

Digital technologies are playing an increasingly important role in our society. Especially since the coronavirus pandemic, corresponding applications have experienced an upswing in Germany. They are used to communicate, work, learn, consume and create.

Those who cannot participate in the digital world are disadvantaged in this society. This particularly affects senior citizens and people with disabilities. But language barriers can also play a role.

The concept of digital participation aims to empower all people to use digital technologies and access the relevant resources. It means that people have the necessary skills, knowledge, resources and access to use devices such as computers and smartphones as well as the necessary applications.

To make this possible, education and training programs are important. Barriers must also be removed and barrier-free services created to enable as many people as possible to participate in digital services.

What opportunities does digitalization in medicine hold for senior citizens?

In principle, digitalization helps to make healthcare more effective, accessible and personalized for seniors, which can ultimately lead to a better quality of life and health in old age. Promising opportunities arise from:

• Telemedicine: Telemedicine enables senior citizens to receive medical advice and treatment from home, especially if they have limited mobility or find it difficult to visit a doctor's surgery.
• Digital health records: Offerings such as electronic medical records and e-prescribing allow seniors and their doctors to easily access, share and update medical information. This facilitates the coordination of medical care and reduces the risk of information loss.
• Health apps: Health apps can help seniors to monitor and improve their own state of health. For example, they can help to recognize symptoms, improve mobility or take medication.
• Care services: In addition to dedicated care apps (DiPA) that help older people in their everyday lives, there is also the marta platform, for example, which provides home care workers. This enables senior citizens to live in their own homes for longer.
• Digital devices: By using wearables and other digital health devices, seniors can monitor their vital signs such as blood pressure, blood sugar and heart rate. This data can help doctors to identify potential health problems at an early stage and respond appropriately.
• Social networks: Online platforms and social networks offer older people the opportunity to exchange ideas with their peers, share experiences and find social support, especially if they find it difficult to maintain personal contacts due to mobility problems or geographical isolation.

What challenges are associated with digital inclusion?

In addition to many advantages, digital inclusion also poses a number of critical challenges, especially for senior citizens:

• Technological barriers: Many older people have limited experience of using digital technologies such as computers, smartphones and tablets. The complexity of devices and applications can be a barrier to access and use.
• Digital literacy: Even with access to digital devices, seniors are often unable to use them effectively. Understanding software, apps and the internet as well as the ability to navigate the digital space safely can be challenging.
• Accessible technology: Many digital platforms and applications are not designed to be accessible, which means that they can be difficult to use for older people with visual or hearing impairments or motor impairments.
• Costs and access: Access to digital devices and internet connections can be a financial challenge if you have a low pension. In this case, the cost of devices, internet services and mobile phone contracts can hinder digital inclusion.
• Privacy and security: Seniors are considered particularly vulnerable to fraud and online threats such as phishing and identity theft. As a result, they often feel particularly insecure about disclosing their personal data online.
• Social isolation and loneliness: If older people are unable to use digital technologies, they quickly become isolated from social interactions, especially if friends and family members live far away or face-to-face interaction is limited.

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Digital participation: Study results

To mark Digital Day, the "Initiative for All" conducts an annual survey of 1,000 people aged 16 and over on digital participation in Germany. The survey shows that 51% of people fear that they will not be able to keep up with current technological developments. Nevertheless, 84% of respondents see digitalization as an opportunity. These results clearly show that people are generally open to digital services, but would like more information.  

Aktion Mensch has also published a study on digital participation. The focus here was on people with disabilities. Various experts and those affected were interviewed. The study comes to the conclusion that the variety of digital work opportunities in particular offers great potential for inclusion. The increased autonomy that can come with digital applications such as voice assistants is also welcomed . Accessible applications are the basic prerequisite for this.

Success story from Baden-Württemberg

The gesundaltern@bw project is an initiative of the Landesanstalt für Kommunikation (LFK) in Baden-Württemberg. Its task is to educate older people about digital applications in the healthcare sector.

To this end, we work closely with the Adult Education Association in Baden-Württemberg to organize educational events. Interested senior citizens can also train to become health ambassadors. Workshops in online and face-to-face format are also part of the project.

For example, gesundaltern@bw organized an action week in Stuttgart. The results of the workshops and conferences suggest that technology can usefully support a self-determined life. However, it is important for people to decide for themselves when they want to use digital services. In addition, low-threshold and easy-to-understand applications are the basis for acceptance among the population.

Tips for digital participation in your medical practice

The quickest way to make it easier for seniors to use digital services in your medical practice is also the easiest. Talk to your patients to find out about their individual problems.

If there is not enough time in the consultation, offer feedback forms that can be filled out in the waiting room. This gives you valuable first-hand insights. This can be used to develop information flyers, for example, which patients can take home with them if required.

Choosing particularly user-friendly software to communicate with your patients can also be an asset. Nelly is a good example of this. The web-based software does not require the installation of an app or other additional software. Patients only need a smartphone and are automatically guided through processes such as taking a medical history or paying bills in compliance with data protection regulations. This is often not a problem for older people either, as they have been used to using QR codes since the coronavirus pandemic at the latest.

External offers for digital participation in medical practices

Enable your practice staff to take part in training courses on digital coaching for older patients. In this way, medical assistants are not only made aware of typical difficulties, but also learn how to use digital services safely themselves.

In addition, group meetings or online forums are a good opportunity for older patients to network with each other and share experiences. A proactive notice or appropriate information material in the waiting room helps to raise awareness of these services.

You can also collaborate with local senior citizens' organizations and share your findings from everyday practice. In this way, you can develop application-oriented workshops for older patients.  

Conclusion: senior citizens benefit from digitalization

Digitalization brings many advantages for older patients. For example, telemedicine and e-prescriptions make it easier to communicate with the doctor. In addition, therapy-accompanying health apps or everyday aids such as magnification software provide the perfect basis for greater autonomy. Last but not least, the internet contributes to easier networking and the formation of interest groups. Nevertheless, there are many challenges.

To overcome these hurdles in your medical practice, you need a holistic strategy for digital participation. This includes training and support programs to increase digital literacy and the use of user-friendly technologies.

Create a digital workflow in your practice now. We will advise you on your individual case without obligation and free of charge!

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The personal designations used in this article always refer equally to all persons. For the sake of better readability, we have refrained from using double or opposite names.

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