New Paths in Healthcare
Interview with Dr. Barbara Ruß-Thiel, Managing Director of ife Gesundheits-GmbH
In an increasingly digitalized world, the way medical services are accessed is also changing. The tele-doctor, also known as telemedicine, is an innovative approach that allows patients to receive medical consultation and care via digital communication tools. This modern form of healthcare offers numerous benefits, from time savings to improved accessibility for people in remote areas. ife Gesundheits-GmbH established Germany's first tele-doctor center over 20 years ago. With the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), ife specifically targets companies.
Wirtschaftsforum: Dr. Ruß-Thiel, you have been part of ife Gesundheits-GmbH since its inception. How has your role evolved over the years?
Dr. Barbara Ruß-Thiel: Shortly after the company was founded in 2000, I joined ife. At that time, I applied as a physician and started as the head of the first telemedicine center in Germany. ife was just in the process of setting up this center and I found the idea of offering medical advice through digital communication channels fascinating.
Wirtschaftsforum: How does ife Gesundheits-GmbH pave new ways in healthcare?
Dr. Barbara Ruß-Thiel: ife was founded in 1999 and initially started with telephone consulting. Remote treatment was not a major issue for a long time due to restrictive legislation in Germany. In 2003, we introduced and gradually expanded the external employee counseling EAP (Employee Assistance Program). I took over the management for this. Since then, our team has grown and now also includes psychologists, lawyers, social workers, and health managers.
In 2017, we merged into ife Gesundheits-GmbH and since then, Dr. Ekko Schrader and I have been the managing directors. Today, we have 230 employees and, in addition to our main branch in Nehmten, we have other locations in Aachen, Düsseldorf, and Frankfurt.
Wirtschaftsforum: What exactly do you offer as part of your services? Could you explain the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) in more detail?
Dr. Barbara Ruß-Thiel: Our range of products and services is very comprehensive. With our Employee Assistance Program, we offer employees of companies independent consulting for all life situations. In this way, companies promote the health, mindset, and performance of their employees with us. The EAP originally started as psychological addiction counseling, but now we provide comprehensive support for psychological stress, family and social issues, and initial legal consultation. Psychological counseling is currently in high demand, as psychological burdens are one of the main causes of work incapacity.
In addition, our telemedicine center offers medically supportive activities such as case management and a specialist appointment service. In 2023, we organized specialist appointments nationwide for 188,000 people. We also offer seminars, lectures, and workshops through the ife Academy and are available around the clock.
Wirtschaftsforum: What impact did the coronavirus pandemic have on your work?
Dr. Barbara Ruß-Thiel: Corona was a turning point for us in many ways. Before the pandemic, the focus of our consultations in the area of our EAP was about 50% on work-related topics and 50% on private issues. Meanwhile, about 70% of the issues are of a private nature, due to the societal changes that Corona, wars, and inflation brought about. Issues such as uncertainty and fear have increased significantly.
The home office has also changed the situation. Many people have fewer opportunities for social exchange and feel more isolated. Work-related stress and overload as well as workplace conflicts are central topics.
Wirtschaftsforum: How do you deal with the constantly changing demands of your clients?
Dr. Barbara Ruß-Thiel: We have continuously adapted and expanded our range of services. In addition to psychological counseling, we now also offer family and social counseling, which is particularly important for smaller companies without their own structures. Moreover, we have a secure personalized access via our online portal and offer counseling by telephone, video call, chat, or email. Since 2009, we are also certified in data protection, which allows us to handle the most sensitive information securely.
Wirtschaftsforum: What is your long-term strategy for ife Gesundheits-GmbH?
Dr. Barbara Ruß-Thiel: Our goal is not to be the largest provider, but the quality leader. We want to help people in their plight as best as we can. For this, we rely on highly qualified specialist advisors and individual support. Our focus is on relieving people as much as possible and providing support in all life situations. Our goal is to do everything possible for our clients to improve their well-being.