Digital Health Applications (DiGA) are browser- or app-based medical tools that can be prescribed by physicians and psychotherapists for a wide range of health conditions. These applications provide proven medical benefits, support treatment workflows, and can improve the course of therapy. All DiGA are certified medical devices that have been evaluated for safety, functionality, quality, and data protection to ensure secure and reliable use.

Physicians in the Meliva Digital Practice can prescribe a DiGA during a confidential video visit. During your consultation, the physician will determine whether additional examination is needed and which therapy option is most appropriate for you. With your digital prescription, you can contact your health insurance provider and receive an activation code, which unlocks access to the browser- or app-based program.

If a medical indication is present, all statutory (public) health insurance plans cover the full cost of a prescribed DiGA—without any out-of-pocket payment. Most private health insurance plans also reimburse DiGA prescriptions.

You don’t need to book an appointment in advance! Simply select “DiGA Consultation” in the Digital Practice and complete the questionnaire. Based on your answers, our physicians can review your case and will contact you as soon as possible.

Your privacy is important to us. All conversations and data are handled strictly confidentially. Physician consultations are always protected by medical confidentiality laws.

We use modern security technologies to provide the highest level of data protection. Your information is stored in a secure, protected environment and safeguarded against unauthorized access. Health data collected through the Meliva Digital Practice is stored exclusively on servers located within the European Union.

Treatment-relevant information (such as medical history or examination findings) can only be accessed by authorized medical staff.

Video connections in the virtual visit are established directly between patient and physician (peer-to-peer) and are end-to-end encrypted. Sessions cannot be monitored or recorded by us or third parties.

You can find more information about our data privacy policies here.

Digital Health Applications are reviewed and approved by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM). During this process, strict requirements for safety, functionality, quality, data protection, and data security are evaluated. In addition, DiGA that are permanently listed must demonstrate a positive healthcare benefit, such as:

• Shortened disease duration
• Improved health status
• Better quality of life
• Increased life expectancy

Only after meeting these criteria is the application listed in the “Directory for Digital Health Applications,” eligible for prescription, and reimbursable by statutory health insurance.

According to the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, a DiGA must:

• Be a medical device classified as low-risk
• Rely primarily on digital technologies
• Support the detection, monitoring, treatment, or alleviation of diseases, injuries, or disabilities

Not every health app available in the App Store or Google Play Store is a certified Digital Health Application. Only licensed physicians can prescribe DiGA. Access is granted through an activation code provided by your health insurance. Apps that can be freely downloaded from app stores typically do not meet the strict regulatory requirements set by the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices.

The Meliva Digital Practice is an online service for booking appointments and conducting video consultations with doctors of various specializations. If you have symptoms, you can book a video consultation in just a few steps and get advice from experienced doctors. Additionally, during our service hours, we also offer you the option to take a seat in our Digital Waiting Room.

The digital doctor’s visit can take place after a one-time free registration in the Meliva App or on our web portal. Choose your desired appointment for the video consultation and book it directly in the app or on the web. At the agreed time, your Meliva doctor will contact you via video call and take the time to clarify all your questions and concerns. Additionally, during our service hours, we also offer you the option to take a seat in our Digital Waiting Room. If medically necessary, you will receive a prescription, a sick note, or a referral directly to your smartphone after the consultation.

All consultations in our Meliva Digital Practice are conducted by our doctors according to generally recognized medical professional standards. However, only those cases can be managed via telemedicine where a physical, in-person medical contact is not necessary. If the present symptoms require further diagnostics (such as a physical examination by palpation, auscultation, etc.) or the use of medical-technical aids (e.g., ultrasound), patients should visit a physical practice. Our doctors will also point this out directly in such cases.

We ensure that we use the latest security technologies to guarantee you the highest possible data security. All your data is stored in a protected area and is also protected from unauthorized access on our side. Health data collected by the Meliva Digital Practice is stored exclusively on servers in the EU.

Data relevant to your treatment (such as your medical history, doctor’s findings, etc.) can only be viewed by our medical staff.

The video connection in the video consultation is established directly between doctors and patients (a so-called peer-to-peer connection). Additionally, it is end-to-end encrypted. Consultations can therefore not be listened to or recorded by us or third parties.

You can find all further information about our privacy policy here.

Please have your ID card and health insurance card (if available) ready. If you have previous medical reports and a current medication plan, please have them ready as well, as they are important for the therapy decision.

If you are enrolled in the GP-centred care program of your statutory health insurance (Hausarztzentrierte Versorgung, § 73b SGB V), we require a referral from your GP for treatment by another doctor.

Our Ad-Hoc Service is our so-called Digital Waiting Room. Our doctors can view the Digital Waiting Room (just like in a physical practice) and call patients in order. At the beginning, you fill out a questionnaire which gives us initial information about your health concern. We try to respond within 2 hours during our service hours. You are also welcome to leave us a message outside of our service hours if, for example, you have a concern that can be resolved the next day. We will get back to you as soon as possible.

In urgent cases, please call 116117 (the medical on-call service).

With our free prevention and health courses in the Meliva App, you can actively contribute to your health promotion. Doctors can integrate these into the recommended treatment. However, you can also use the Careplans without medical advice.

The 12-week self-training programs on topics such as Better Sleep – More Exercise – Smoking Cessation support you in your endeavor.

Our 2-week Careplans for common acute illnesses such as flu-like infections – gastrointestinal infections – urinary tract infections support you with helpful tips and information during your recovery.

You can find the Meliva App for iOS in the App Store and for Android in the Google Play Store.

Are you perhaps abroad? The app might not be displayed there. Otherwise, please check if your phone is running the latest version.

First, please check your spam folder to see if our email has landed there. If not, please try the registration process again — sometimes a small typo may have crept in. If that also doesn’t work, please write to us at support@meliva.de. We will investigate the problem and try to find a solution.

Should technical problems occur, feel free to write to us at support@meliva.de. We will respond promptly and try to solve the problem.

The user account can be easily deleted via the Meliva App. Under “Profile,” you will find a “Delete user account” tab. After entering your name, the user account will be deleted. If there are still outstanding appointments or active Careplans, these must be canceled before the account can be deleted.

For patients with statutory health insurance, the costs for the appointment are covered by their statutory health insurance provider.

For privately insured patients and self-payers, billing is handled as usual via an invoice in accordance with the GOÄ (German Medical Fee Schedule). Following the video consultation, you will receive an invoice by mail. If you are privately insured, you can submit this invoice to your private health insurance for reimbursement.

For patients with statutory health insurance, the costs for the appointment are covered by their statutory health insurance provider.

Privately insured patients can submit the invoice, which is based on the GOÄ, to their insurance company for reimbursement after receiving it. The extent to which the costs are covered depends on the respective tariffs and insurance policies.

It depends on the type of certificate. A sick note for your employer (Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung) is provided free of charge.

Other certificates — such as those required by schools or universities — are generally not covered by statutory health insurance. For issuing these private certificates, we charge a fee based on the effort involved, in accordance with the official fee schedule for physicians (GOÄ).

For patients with statutory health insurance, the costs for the appointment are covered by their statutory health insurance provider.

For privately insured patients and self-payers, payment is made via invoicing through the Privatärztliche Verrechnungsstelle Mosel-Saar (PVS Mosel-Saar).

Unfortunately, we can only treat patients with EU insurance as self-payers, as a form with a personal signature is required for direct billing with health insurance companies, which is not possible in the Digital Practice. You are welcome to use our medical services as a self-payer and then try to have the costs reimbursed by your health insurance company. In most cases this is accepted and the costs are reimbursed.

Typical complaints that are often suitable for a consultation with our Meliva doctors via video call:

• Fever
• Gastrointestinal infections
• Eye redness & inflammation
• Colds & respiratory diseases
• Viral diseases, e.g., Corona
• Hay fever & allergies
• Skin rashes & changes
• Insect stings & bites
• Headaches & back pain
• Mental illnesses
• Mild depressive moods
• Erectile dysfunction
• General health questions about prevention, vaccinations, DiGA (Digital Health Applications), etc.

All consultations are conducted according to generally recognized medical professional standards. Only cases can be managed via telemedicine where a physical, in-person medical contact is not necessary. If symptoms require further examination or medical-technical aids (e.g., ultrasound), patients should visit a physical practice. If you have open wounds, severe pain, or it is an emergency, please see a doctor immediately or contact the medical on-call service at 116117 or the emergency services at 112.

No. Currently, treatments for commuting or work accidents, as well as school and kindergarten accidents, cannot be carried out. Likewise, reports from authorized physicians for the statutory accident insurance (Durchgangsarzt) or referrals to such physicians cannot be issued. If it is already foreseeable that your case involves a work-related accident, please see a doctor in person (preferably a D-Arzt).

As a legal guardian, you can have a video consultation with your child. Our general practitioners provide treatment for acute illnesses in children (e.g., respiratory infections and gastrointestinal diseases). Prescriptions and a sick note for the child can also be issued. It is possible that, based on the GP’s assessment, a visit to a pediatrician’s practice may be necessary. To use this service, select the Digital Waiting Room for the “Children’s Consultation” in the Meliva App.

You book an appointment directly with our Meliva doctors via the Meliva App — either from the home page or via the “Appointments” menu item.

You book an appointment directly with our Meliva doctors, who will also carry out the treatment. You can find more information in your app under “Appointments.” All our doctors are practicing physicians in Germany with many years of specialist experience.

Unfortunately, this is not possible. The communication window remains open for a few days after your appointment, so you can ask follow-up questions there. It will then be decided whether a new appointment is needed or if the questions can be answered directly. If the communication window is already closed, you can book a new appointment at any time.

All consultations are conducted according to generally recognized medical professional standards. This means our doctors will issue prescriptions if it is medically indicated.

All prescriptions are issued at the discretion of the treating doctors. You do not have a right to receive the requested medications as part of the medical treatment via the Meliva Digital Practice. Previous medical reports generally make the work of the treating doctors easier — it is therefore always important to upload previous reports and a medication plan into the conversation history.

• Cannabis products can only be prescribed after a thorough examination and a prior visit to one of our in-person practices.
• Medications such as narcotics, sleeping pills and sedatives, strong painkillers, performance-enhancing drugs, medications that require close medical or laboratory monitoring, or that can be misused, are not prescribed by our doctors at the Meliva Digital Practice. For such medications, please seek in-person medical treatment.
• Our doctors do not issue certificates intended to justify an increased need for medications with dispensing restrictions.
• The prescription of formulations to be manually prepared in the pharmacy is not possible at this time.

In detail — the following medications require an in-person visit:

1. All narcotics (including opioids/opiates): Cannabis (flowers, extracts, dronabinol, THC), methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta), morphine, tilidine drops, sufentanil, remifentanil, fentanyl, alfentanil, buprenorphine, hydromorphone, methadone, oxycodone, hydrocodone, piritramide, tapentadol, pethidine, dihydrocodeine, codeine, and others.
2. Sleeping pills and sedatives: Benzodiazepine derivatives (diazepam “Valium”, lorazepam “Tavor”, oxazepam, alprazolam, etc.), Z-substances (zolpidem, zopiclone, etc.)
3. Strong painkillers (opioids not subject to narcotics law): Tramadol, tilidine/naloxone, codeine, dihydrocodeine, nalbuphine, meptazinol, naltrexone, apomorphine, and others.
4. Medications for weight reduction: Antidiabetics used for type 2 diabetes treatment and long-term weight reduction, or medications aimed solely at weight reduction.
5. Performance-enhancing drugs: Erythropoietin, testosterone, amphetamines and derivatives, tamoxifen, clomiphene, aromatase inhibitors, diuretics, desmopressin, pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine, piracetam, modafinil, memantine, and others.
6. PrEP (oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis): Cannot be prescribed via the Meliva Digital Practice. Visit www.prepjetzt.de to find doctors who can help.
7. Centrally acting medications: Muscle relaxants, baclofen, antiepileptics (pregabalin, gabapentin, carbamazepine, clonazepam), stimulants, amphetamine derivatives (modafinil, methylphenidate), naltrexone/bupropion (e.g. Mysimba), amfepramone, and others.
8. Medications requiring special laboratory or instrumental monitoring: e.g. isotretinoin (Aknenormin, etc.)
9. Medications for fertility treatment.
10. Medications used for abortion: Misoprostol (Cytotec), mifepristone, Mifegyne (“RU 486”) cannot be prescribed via the Meliva Digital Practice. Counseling is available for example at pro familia. Note: the morning-after pill is not classified as an abortion-inducing medication and is available over the counter in pharmacies without a prescription.

Our doctors are happy to advise you on the topic of emergency contraception, safely and discreetly.

DiGA (health apps on prescription) can be prescribed during a medical consultation in the Meliva video consultation. The doctor will check whether you meet the medical indication for a specific DiGA and whether it is the best therapy option for you. If prescribed, statutory health insurance companies usually cover the costs, as do most private health insurers. After the consultation, you must submit the confirmation of indication to your health insurance company to receive the activation code. Follow-up prescriptions are also possible depending on the application and treatment success. To use this service, select the Digital Waiting Room for the “DiGA Consultation” in the Meliva App.

Our doctors will issue sick notes (Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigungen / AUs) if it is medically indicated, in accordance with current recommendations and regulations. During video consultations, sick leave certificates may be issued for a maximum of 3 days; extensions are only possible in exceptional cases. In the event of repeated illnesses (more than three video consultations per quarter), no further sick leave certificates can be issued — in such cases, an in-person medical examination is required.

No, our doctors follow current recommendations and regulations. In exceptional cases and after careful consideration, an exception may be granted, but a retroactive sick note cannot be guaranteed.

The documents are displayed in your Meliva App within the conversation history. Here you can view all conversations and both sent and received documents, and download them again if necessary.

If you wish to cancel an appointment, you can do so under “More information about the appointment” in the app. Please cancel at least 2 hours in advance if you are unable to attend. We reserve the right to charge for appointments that are not canceled within this timeframe or are not canceled at all.

No, for data protection reasons the consultation is not recorded.

You can use our video consultation from anywhere in the world, for example while on vacation abroad. All you need is a smartphone or another device such as a laptop with a webcam, microphone, and a stable internet connection.

It can happen that a doctor does not show up on time due to technical or other incidents. Please note that the app must be open to accept the doctor’s call. If no conversation actually took place, please contact us via the conversation window. If you do not receive a timely response there either, please contact support@meliva.de.