[Tele-emergency physicians-a cost-benefit analysis]

Telemedical applications are increasing-ranging from patients contacting a general practitioner to tele-emergency medicine and tele-intensive care for medical professionals. Telemedical applications range from callback systems as simple telephone counseling up to telemedical transfer of diagnostic results such as ECG and modern systems aiming for real-time audiovideo consultation. With the establishment of the new profession called Notfallsanitäter (specialized emergency paramedic), which is one of the highest trained nonphysician medical professions, the prehospital use of artificial intelligence, and the rapidly rising health care costs in Germany, a critical review of the telephysician system in a cost-benefit analysis is required. Furthermore, regarding the lack of highly trained consultants in ambulatory as well as hospital settings, employing those specialized physicians in the tele-emergency center instead of bedside raises concerns about the use of limited resources.