Assisted telemedicine in the pharmacy: what pharmacies can now offer

What assisted telemedicine in the pharmacy means

With assisted telemedicine (aTM), patients use telemedicine services from office-based doctors on the pharmacy's premises. Telemedicine refers to medical services delivered remotely, for example in a video consultation. The pharmacy provides the equipment and offers organisational and technical support in using it.

The service was introduced by the Digital Act (Digital-Gesetz, DigiG), Germany's law to accelerate the digitalisation of the healthcare system. Each pharmacy decides for itself whether to offer it.

In principle, the service is aimed at patients with statutory or private health insurance who need support with a telemedicine service. That may be because they don't have a suitable device or because they need practical help.

The three services at a glance

For each case, the pharmacy can provide and bill one of three services. Patients choose which one they want to use.

For the initial assessment, the German Pharmacists' Association (Deutscher Apothekerverband, DAV) refers to SmED, the triage software also used by the 116 117 appointment service. According to the DAV, patients unknown to the practice require a structured initial assessment before a statutory-insurance video consultation. This means patients who have not attended that practice in person during the last four quarters, including the current quarter.

Fees and the agreement with patients

The DAV and the GKV-Spitzenverband (the national association of statutory health insurance funds) were unable to agree on the fee, so it was ultimately set by the arbitration board. The DAV billing guide specifies the same flat fee for each of the three service options. Under the current agreement, the amounts are treated as VAT-exempt and depend on the date of service:

The service is free for patients with statutory insurance. Privately insured patients pay for it themselves and receive a priced special receipt, which they submit to their insurer. They must clarify for themselves whether, and to what extent, their insurer reimburses the cost.

Before the service, both the patient and the pharmacy sign the DAV agreement. It is retained by the pharmacy for four years. Check proof of insurance and use the current form. The DAV billing guide explains receipts, billing codes and the planned switch to electronic statutory-insurance billing by 1 March 2027 at the latest. Paper receipts remain the arrangement for privately insured patients.

Requirements: room, equipment and team

The room

The consultation must be private: other people must not be able to overhear it or see the screen. Also check local supervisory requirements.

According to an article on the Berlin Chamber of Pharmacists' portal, the Berlin State Office for Health and Social Affairs (LAGeSo) has highlighted several points. The aTM room must be accessible to the public without anyone having to pass through other operational areas. In other words, it is part of the public area of the pharmacy (the Offizin), for example as a consultation room, or directly accessible from it. A separately accessible room that belongs to the pharmacy's premises is also possible.

In some cases, a notification under Section 4(6) of the Pharmacy Operations Ordinance (Apothekenbetriebsordnung, ApBetrO) may be required. This can apply if a third-party booth is used or if a room was previously used for other purposes. According to LAGeSo, no notification is needed if the existing consultation room is used. As this guidance comes from Berlin, you should check with your local supervisory authority.

The equipment

The DAV technical guide covers devices, camera, audio and connectivity. Key safeguards include separation from the normal pharmacy network, restricted user permissions and protection of internal systems. Patient data must be reliably removed from the device after each session. Have a qualified IT provider assess setup and ongoing operation.

The team

Trained staff accompany customers, explain the equipment and set up the connection to the practice. That takes time out of normal operations. Schedule trained staff for the hours when you actually offer assisted telemedicine, and document their instruction, for example in your quality management system.

Our article on scheduling vaccinations, tests and other services explains how to fit additional services into the staff rota. Mediloon supports general staff and appointment planning; check which validation and warning features are available in your configuration.

Where the line is drawn: the pharmacy assists, the practice decides

The medical assessment and any decision about further treatment rest solely with the doctor on the call. This also applies to prescriptions and sick notes. The practice can issue either, provided it is medically justifiable and legally permissible.

The pharmacy provides the room and equipment, helps with operating it and, where applicable, supports the patient with the structured initial assessment. It does not make diagnoses or treatment decisions on behalf of the practice. Because health data is processed during the consultation, it is worth reviewing the principles of GDPR obligations when handling health data in the pharmacy.

A clear boundary also helps with acceptance. Some doctors have criticised the scheme, arguing that medical work does not belong in a pharmacy. If you make it clear that the service complements doctors' practices rather than replacing them, you have a sound basis for conversations with customers and practices.

Introducing assisted telemedicine: step by step

1. Review the materials Read the latest versions of the DAV's billing guide, technical guide and standard form.

2. Check the room Find out whether your consultation room meets the requirements and whether a notification under the ApBetrO is needed.

3. Approach local practices The DAV recommends arranging video consultations mainly with practices nearby, so that follow-up appointments in person are possible. Find out which practices offer video consultations and how they allocate appointments, and contact the doctors directly.

4. Train the team Decide who will handle the initial assessment, the equipment, the agreement and billing.

5. Define the process Decide whether to offer the service without appointments, by appointment or both.

6. Inform neutrally Describe the service factually on your website and in-store notices, without steering customers towards particular practices.

For billing questions, the Berlin article names the Berlin Pharmacists' Association (Berliner Apotheker-Verein, BAV) as the point of contact. Check which body is responsible in your federal state. If you want to offer fixed time slots, you can use online appointment booking. With Mediloon's online appointment booking, you can organise your pharmacy's service slots. A pharmacy booking does not guarantee an available doctor's appointment: coordinate both processes. Mediloon is described here as a planning tool, not as the provider of the medical video consultation or structured assessment.

Opportunities for community pharmacies

Uptake depends on local demand, accessible medical practices and available capacity. Individual case reports cannot be treated as general forecasts of utilisation or revenue.

• Shorter journeys Especially in rural areas, the pharmacy can make it easier to get medical advice.

• Low-threshold access People without a regular GP, for example after moving, gain an additional point of contact.

• Closer collaboration Contact with local practices strengthens the local healthcare network.

• An additional paid service The pharmacy receives a fee per case, although it decreases over the years.

Financially, it pays to do the maths soberly. Whether the service covers its costs depends on demand, staffing and your room situation. If a prescription is issued during the consultation, the patient can choose to fill it directly at your pharmacy. Understanding how the E-Rezept (Germany's electronic prescription) works from issue to dispensing is the foundation for this.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• ABDA: assisted telemedicine and current DAV materials

• DAV information leaflet, July 2026

1. Im Notfall Medikamente auch ohne Rezept: Was Apotheken künftig dürfen – tagesschau.de, o. D.

2. Ärztlicher Rat ohne Termin – neues Telemedizin-Angebot in der Margareten-Apotheke – dein-ms.de, 24.10.2026

3. Assistierte Telemedizin: Aus der Apotheke in die Praxis – Deutsches Ärzteblatt, o. D.

4. Assistierte Telemedizin in Apotheken: aktualisiertes Informationsmaterial des DAV – Apothekerkammer Berlin, 07.08.2026

5. Apotheken erhalten 30 Euro für assistierte Telemedizin – Deutsches Ärzteblatt, 10.05.2026

6. Ab 1. Juli: Das ist neu für Apotheken – Apotheke Adhoc, 29.06.2026