Current Practice of Neurosurgical Teleconsultation in Germany

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Digital Health
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Neurosurgery requires extensive consultation services, often over large distances.
• Digitalization is increasing the role of teleconsultation in neurosurgical care.
• No established standards exist for teleconsultation in neurosurgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the current state of teleconsultation in neurosurgery in Germany.
• To identify usage patterns and operating conditions of teleconsultation.

Main Methods:

• A voluntary, anonymous survey with a 20-item questionnaire was conducted.
• The survey targeted neurosurgery specialists and residents at the 2017 German Society of Neurosurgery conference.
• Data on teleconsultation frequency, methods, and perceived challenges were collected.

Main Results:

• 87.5% of participants reported teleconsultation use in their institutions.
• Phone calls were the primary method for consultation requests and replies.
• A significant majority (78.6%) lacked knowledge of standard protocols and legal rules.
• Patient data protection was not perceived as endangered.
• Teleconsultation was rated highly useful, but image misinterpretation risk was noted.

Conclusions:

• Teleconsultation is a frequent and accepted tool in neurosurgical healthcare.
• A standardized neurosurgical procedure for teleconsultation is missing.
• There is a need for national and European guidelines for teleconsultation in neurosurgery.