Prescribing Behavior and Reasonable Price for Mental Health DiGAs – Results of a Pilot Study

BACKGROUND: Since the Digital Health Care Act came into force in 2020, mHealth services can be prescribed and reimbursed as DiGAs in Germany. The most reimbursable DiGAs can be found in the area of psychiatric diseases. Little is known about the prescribing behavior of medical and psychological psychotherapists and the price they considered reasonable.

OBJECTIVES: To gather more detailed knowledge about the prescription behavior, appropriate diagnosis, reasonable price and importance of relevant characteristics.

METHODS: Online survey of 38 medical and psychological psychotherapists working in central Hesse.

RESULTS: Just under a third have prescribed DiGAs to date; suitable diagnoses include somatoform disorders, anxiety disorders and addictive disorders. Medical quality, user- friendliness and data protection are considered important. the reasonable price is below the current average market price.

CONCLUSION: The DiGAs do not seem to be prescribed by psychotherapists on a broad scale yet, the suitable indications are in line with the market offer, although the prices seem to be too high from the prescribers' point of view.