Examining Digitale Gesundheitsanwendungen (DiGA) in Germany

10.02.2026, Studentische Hilfskräfte, Praktikantenstellen, Studienarbeiten

CONTEXT Since the introduction of the DiGA fast track, digital health applications (DiGAs) have become an important part of healthcare. However, questions remain about their actual implementation, reimbursement practices, the arguments for their benefits, and cooperation between health insurance companies, manufacturers, and service providers, particularly with regard to mental health. Our research group focuses on 'IT for matters that matter' and investigates how digital solutions can be meaningfully embedded in healthcare processes. We aim to develop a deeper understanding of how DiGAs for health conditions are evaluated, introduced, reimbursed, further developed, and integrated into healthcare, from the perspective of key stakeholders. Our focus is on decision-making logic, obstacles, success factors, and evidence-based requirements. As DiGA manufacturers are reimbursed by health insurers, the thesis will focus on interviewing DiGA manufacturers and/or health insurers. Interviews with health insurers aim to understand how they assess DiGAs for health conditions and which criteria shape reimbursement and implementation decisions, including decision and evaluation logics, the role of the DiGA directory, key barriers and success factors, and expectations toward manufacturers and healthcare providers. Interviews with DiGA manufacturers aim to understand how they design and develop DiGAs in an evidence-based way while accounting for reimbursement and care requirements, including evidence strategies, market access and reimbursement constraints, data protection and interoperability, integration into care pathways, and collaboration models with health insurers and healthcare providers. The activities involved in preparing the thesis include conducting a literature review, formulating research questions, conducting interviews and/or surveys with DiGA manufacturers and health insurers, and analyzing the interviews to derive insights. TASK(S) Literature analysis, qualitative and/or quantitative data collection, data analysis REQUIREMENTS High degree of autonomy and responsibility Interest in current IS topics with a focus on medicine, psychology, and psychiatry Experience in & willingness to learn about scientific writing Structured, reliable & self-motivated work style

CONTEXT Since the introduction of the DiGA fast track, digital health applications (DiGAs) have become an important part of healthcare. However, questions remain about their actual implementation, reimbursement practices, the arguments for their benefits, and cooperation between health insurance companies, manufacturers, and service providers, particularly with regard to mental health.

Our research group focuses on IT for matters that matter and investigates how digital solutions can be meaningfully embedded in healthcare processes. We aim to develop a deeper understanding of how DiGAs for health conditions are evaluated, introduced, reimbursed, further developed, and integrated into healthcare, from the perspective of key stakeholders. Our focus is on decision-making logic, obstacles, success factors, and evidence-based requirements.

As DiGA manufacturers are reimbursed by health insurers, the thesis will focus on interviewing DiGA manufacturers and/or health insurers. Interviews with health insurers aim to understand how they assess DiGAs for health conditions and which criteria shape reimbursement and implementation decisions, including decision and evaluation logics, the role of the DiGA directory, key barriers and success factors, and expectations toward manufacturers and healthcare providers. Interviews with DiGA manufacturers aim to understand how they design and develop DiGAs in an evidence-based way while accounting for reimbursement and care requirements, including evidence strategies, market access and reimbursement constraints, data protection and interoperability, integration into care pathways, and collaboration models with health insurers and healthcare providers. The activities involved in preparing the thesis include conducting a literature review, formulating research questions, conducting interviews and/or surveys with DiGA manufacturers and health insurers, and analyzing the interviews to derive insights.

TASK(S) Literature analysis, qualitative and/or quantitative data collection, data analysis

REQUIREMENTS High degree of autonomy and responsibility Interest in current IS topics with a focus on medicine, psychology, and psychiatry Experience in & willingness to learn about scientific writing Structured, reliable & self-motivated work style

Kontakt: maximilian.schumergruber@tum.de