A Fast-Track market entry for digital health apps in Germany: turning point or flash in the pan – what happens after listing? – A panel discussion at Frontiers Health 2020.

Germany has always been a market that looked attractive from the outside for digital health startups worldwide. On 7. November 2019, the German House of Parliament passed new rules supporting digital innovation in Germany. The new rules have a far-reaching impact on the success rate of digital health apps /solutions provided to 72 million insured residents in Germany and HCPs.

At this years’ Frontiers Health event in Berlin R2G’s team together with key decision-makers from top healthcare stakeholders delved into what the new law and major changes mean for the global digital health innovators, their business models and what happens after solutions are listed.

On November 13, R2G hosted a DiGA panel session at Frontiers Health Berlin Local Hub at RoX Health with different global healthcare stakeholders that exchanged views and opinions on the new law on Digital Health (DVG) that supports digital innovation in Germany, what happens after a solution is being listed and how a company can commercialize DiGA.

Today, the 72 million insured citizens in Germany and the new favourable conditions make the country more attractive for global digital health solution vendors to enter the healthcare ecosystem.

Business cases from Germany, China, and the Middle East shared by top experts from leading healthcare companies provided market insights covering entry and marketing strategies, factors to consider when creating sustainable partnership models, as well as a “stock-check” and an impression of first experience with the fast track application process, its benefits, but also its hurdles.

The workshop conversation was stimulated by a short introduction from Rainer Herzog, Vice President at Research2Guidance and this session’s moderator. A spontaneous and very interesting discussion naturally evolved thanks to our experts’ thoughts and opinions.

  • Dr. Michael Bitzer, Vice President, Research2Guidance
  • Gerry Chille, Partner, Healthware Labs
  • Gabriel Enczmann, COO & Co-Founder, RoX Health
  • Thomas Kleine, Country Lead Pfizer Digital, Pfizer Deutschland GmbH
  • Dr. Lloyd Humphreys, Head of Europe, SilverCloud Health

Digital health vendors will have to rethink their offerings and business models to benefit from the increased awareness of digital health apps / solutions in the German healthcare system, resulting from the “Fast Track” push.

Some of the questions discussed were:

  • What are app providers expecting from a listing? Will it be a self-acting ticket to enter the market, or are there still challenges ahead?
  • Who has the best setup to commercialize DiGAs – pharma or startups?
  • What are app providers expecting from healthcare stakeholders such as payers, care providers or life sciences companies?
  • Is fast track really the praised breakthrough for digitalization in the German healthcare system? Or is it just one element with other issues still to be solved?
  • COVID-19’s DTx impact on China. Is AI a key health innovation driver in China?
  • Is online mental health therapy just as effective as in-person therapy for many patients?
  • and many more …

Full session recording is available here.

At Research2Guidance, we welcome the opportunity to exchange thoughts and views on DiGA. As a start, we invite you to take a look at the opinion piece written by Ralf Jahns, MD of Research2Guidance on “How the German “Fast Track” for digital solutions impacts market entry channels “. In it you will find out the key market entry channels in Germany for digital health solutions, data facts and figures accompanying each in terms of addressable market, impact and main motivation.

If you would like to discuss your market entry options for the German healthcare market, get in touch with us today, write to Stela Nikolova: [email protected]