Digitale respiratorische Schlafmedizin – Teil I: Diagnostik: Aktueller Stand, Perspektive, Vision

Novel methods of eHealth already offer smart solutions for currently insufficiently addressed problems in the field of sleep-disordered breathing. Telemedical concepts, such as video consultation, help bring affected patients to sleep medical expertise at an early stage. Cloud-based diagnostics can help reduce existing inner- and intrasectoral problems and can improve interdisciplinary communication within established diagnostic pathways. New sensors and applications for digital devices (apps) open up opportunities for broad screening for the widespread disease of sleep apnea. However, in order to be able to use these methods clinically at all, they have to be certified as medical products. The Digital Supply Act (DVG) enables inclusion of health apps in the list of digital health applications (DiGA) after evaluation by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM). These “apps by prescription” are then reimbursable by the statutory health insurance. The vast amounts of collected data can only be analyzed for links and patterns using computer-based analysis methods. These findings are not intended to replace medical doctors, but rather to support them in their decision-making—in terms of real precision medicine including participation of the patient. The informed patient has to have data sovereignty at all times