Counteracting brain drain of health professionals from rural areas via teleconsultation: Analysis of the barriers and success factors of teleconsultation

摘要

Aim: Winning young health professionals for rural areas is a very important challenge against the background of many retiring physicians in the coming decade and a growing unattractiveness of rural areas for future medical professionals. Through teleconsultation, a bridge can be provided between the single physician in the single practice in terms of professional exchange and second opinions. Teleconsultations between GPs and specialists are already in use in other countries (Lamminen et al. J Telemed Telecare 17(8):412-416, 2011; Nordal et al. J Telemed Telecare 7:257-265, 2001) but are not wide spread in Germany. The aim of this investigation is to identify the barriers and success factors for a teleconsultation solution in rural areas of northern Germany. Subject and methods: A qualitative interview study was conducted among 18 experts from the Schleswig-Holstein health care system using a semi-structured interview guide. Seven representatives of health care institutions, six GPs, and five young health professionals were interviewed and the interviews systematically analysed according to predefined categories. Results: The results of this study show that the primary barriers preventing the adoption of teleconsultation are the high time-consumption, the physicians' personality, and the financing possibilities of such solutions. The main factors of a successful adoption of teleconsultation include an easy usability of the system, good training opportunities, voluntary participation, the existence of a model region, and a reasonable financing plan. Conclusion: A consideration of the results when setting up a teleconsultation solution provides a basis for a working teleconsultation system in rural areas that can help attract more physicians to those regions.