MVZ Campus Practice Aachen - Paperless Hybrid Primary-Care Practice
Origin language: English
The MVZ Campus Practice is a largely paperless general medicine practice that brings digital tools into everyday patient care. Its central digital system connects medical documentation, appointment scheduling, patient information, and the daily organization of the practice. Before or during an appointment, patients can provide details about their symptoms, medication, and medical history through structured digital forms. This gives the medical team clearer, more organized information for the consultation. Patients can request appointments online, by phone, or by email, and video consultations offer another way to access both planned and short-notice care. In-person appointments remain available for anyone who needs or prefers them.
By connecting digital access, patient information, documentation, and consultations in one workflow, the practice aims to make primary care more coordinated and accessible. It also serves as a research practice, helping healthcare professionals explore how digital tools can be introduced and adapted through practical experience, staff involvement, and collaboration with regional care partners. The practice was listed as a digital pioneer by the ATLAS Project at Witten/Herdecke University.
1. Workflow redesign: partial digitization can create duplicate work and missing information.
2. Staff and patients differ in digital confidence; inconsistent use can create parallel processes.
3. Relationship risk: Digital access and remote consultations must improve convenience without reducing the personal continuity and trust expected in primary care.
4. Integration and privacy: Scheduling, documentation, messaging and video tools must exchange information securely and comply with health-data protection requirements.
Lessons Learned:
1. Digital change is sustained by operational ownership: A named person can coordinate decisions, resolve everyday problems and keep the workflow coherent.
2. Early team involvement makes implementation more practical and increases acceptance, because frontline staff can help shape the process, feel heard, and see how the digital solution supports their everyday work.
3. Recurring reflection is part of implementation; short review cycles allow the practice to adjust continuously.
4. A paperless goal is useful only when the service remains accessible to people who need support or a non-digital route.
Recommendations:
1. Appoint digitalization leads who act as a bridge between frontline teams, IT and management. Their role should be to identify useful digitalization opportunities and ensure that they are integrated into everyday workflows.
2. Frontline staff should be involved early to test how the digital process works in practice, clarify who does what, and identify where additional training is needed before the solution is implemented.
3. Make digital access easy for patients. Patients should receive clear guidance and support when using digital channels, while accessible alternatives should remain available for those who cannot use them.
4. Use feedback to improve the process. Regularly ask staff and patients where the digital process works well and where it creates extra effort. This helps identify problems early, such as duplicated documentation or delays.
