Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern launch telemedicine network

The German states of Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern have signed a letter of intent to establish the ‘Telemedizin-Netz Nord-Ost’ (Tenno). This cross-border digital network aims to connect hospitals to ensure medical expertise is not limited by regional boundaries. The project will initially focus on connecting inpatient providers to enable tele-visits, particularly in pediatric, adolescent, and emergency medicine. The University Medicine Rostock and the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) will serve in coordinating and operative roles.

Medical experts emphasize that the success of telemedicine depends on its integration into regulatory systems and patient steering. At a recent congress of the Central Institute for Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (Zi), discussions highlighted that digital services like tele-emergency doctors are essential to combat demographic changes and staff shortages. Experience from projects in Vorpommern-Greifswald suggests that better linking between emergency doctors and outpatient services is necessary. In regions like Lower Saxony, telemedicine is already being used to provide structured medical assessments via emergency telephone services to manage patient flow effectively.