A new psychiatric care network in Essen in Germany, is reshaping how mental health services are delivered by utilising the digital platform Patients Know Best (PKB).
Currently, the network in Essen and surroundings with psychiatry, resident psychiatrists, psychotherapists, sociotherapists and outpatient psychiatric care are now live on the PKB platform, with more to join the network. Known as Integrierte Versorgung or Versorgungsnetze, German care networks are collaborations between hospitals, GPs, and specialists, with the Essen network focusing on mental health.
The PKB platform is now helping these networks by enabling shared treatment plans, allowing providers to create comprehensive plans across all clinical areas. It also provides a secure hub for interdisciplinary communication among specialists, GPs, and other professionals, while meeting Germany’s evolving healthcare laws, including the Digital Health Act and Telematics Infrastructure.
The company said that “a key feature is the use of PKB’s Care Plans, which aligns with Germany’s “Coordinated Structured Care” guidelines”. Adding “this allows all involved clinicians to list everyone involved in a patient’s care, clarify roles and responsibilities, document treatment goals and notes, and track progress in a way that is visible to the entire care team”.
Dr Nico Rohlfing, Head of Praxis für Psychotherapie and founder of the new network, commented: “PKB was chosen for the Essen network because it fulfills Germany’s traditional stringent requirements for privacy while also meeting new requirements for sharing to deliver integrated care. The platform adheres to the highest data protection standards and enables professionals to create and manage shared, interdisciplinary treatment plans. It also offers a flexible organisational structure, allowing for the creation of dedicated teams for each specialty. Furthermore, the platform provides secure messaging and facilitates interdisciplinary scheduling.”
Dr. Mohammad Al-Ubaydli, CEO of Patients Know Best, added: “We are delighted to help patients in Germany. Dr Nico Rohlfing is a pioneer in mental health and in integrated care, it’s an honour to support his relentless focus on patient care. Psychiatric services are the start, we plan to serve all of Germany’s healthcare system.”
Wider trend: Digital patient transformation
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