Prescriber’s Preferences for Digital Health Applications in Mental Health Care: Cross-Sectional Best-Worst Scaling Study of General Practitioners and Psychotherapists in Germany - Takeaways - MDSpire

Prescriber’s Preferences for Digital Health Applications in Mental Health Care: Cross-Sectional Best-Worst Scaling Study of General Practitioners and Psychotherapists in Germany

  • By

  • Carsten Volland

  • Felix Plescher

  • Pascal Raszke

  • Luisa Friedrich

  • Christian Speckemeier

  • Sarah Schlierenkamp

  • Michael Minor

  • Carina Abels

  • Klemens Höfer

  • Jürgen Wasem

  • Josepha Katzmann

  • Udo Schneider

  • Anja Wadeck

  • Sophia Zander

  • Anna Bußmann

  • July 8, 2026

  • 0 min

Share

  • 1

    Mental disorders have a 12-month prevalence of approximately 28% among adults in Germany, highlighting a significant public health burden.

  • 2

    Digital health applications (DiGA) in Germany require a positive health care effect for reimbursement, evaluated by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices.

  • 3

    General practitioners prescribe 37.6% of DiGA, while psychotherapists and psychiatrists account for only 14.7%, indicating a significant prescribing imbalance.

  • 4

    About half of all approved DiGA target mental or behavioral disorders, yet the prescribing gap raises questions about barriers to adoption.

  • 5

    Both GPs and psychotherapists express cautious interest in DiGA, with GPs viewing them positively but citing integration challenges and lack of information.

Original Source(s)

Prescriber’s Preferences for Digital Health Applications in Mental Health Care: Cross-Sectional Best-Worst Scaling Study of General Practitioners and Psychotherapists in Germany

  • by Carsten Volland, Felix Plescher, Pascal Raszke, Luisa Friedrich, Christian Speckemeier, Sarah Schlierenkamp, Michael Minor, Carina Abels, Klemens Höfer, Jürgen Wasem, Josepha Katzmann, Udo Schneider, Anja Wadeck, Sophia Zander, Anna Bußmann

  • July 8, 2026

Related Content

Autism service barriers for Latine children and their families: a participatory approach to adapting autism diagnostic care

Sustained Availability of Dedicated High School Health Courses and Adolescent Substance Use

Adverse childhood experiences and academic burnout among Chinese traditional medicine students: the serial mediating role of rumination, self-control, and resilience