Web and application development: The digitized clinical routine at LMU 

If you talk to Jürgen Primbs, you'll notice immediately that here is a man with visions, ideas and a very precise idea of what a modern hospital should look like today - and above all tomorrow: "Short distances for patients, specialists, staff, uncomplicated procedures and minimum waiting times.”

What may still sound like pipe dreams in view of the standard practice is excitingly close to reality at the LMU: The dedicated team around Primbs is currently already testing the first practical steps into the digitization of standard hospital routine: The pilot project “Eye Clinic Booking Portal” makes the direct online reservation of appointments for specialist consultations and OPs in the renowned eye clinic of the LMU possible for established specialists. This represents a large step, saving not only physicians and patients long waiting periods and administrative work, but also arranging the transfer of report documents and results securely, comfortably and efficiently.

Safety First:  An unusual data protection solution

Along with Jürgen Primbs, we had worked towards this moment for more than six months, because although the implementation of the actual solution based on the Infopark-CMS Scrivito was so fast, the handling of sensitive patient data between Internet and the hospital intranet required a completely new and comprehensive security concept. "In the end we worked on the guarantee of highest possible data security as long as we worked on the main application itself. But of course this was a decisive factor that now provides us the basis for numerous new applications," says Jürgen Primbs, Head of Web Services.

Our project manager Rouven Behnke adds, "The challenge was to provide complete security for patient data. Ultimately, they must not even be accessible to us, the developers, or the administrators. For transmission, we use an innovative, multi-secured encryption concept that works with temporary, local passwords. In addition, the hospital uses its own firewall and local database and key servers - basically a multiple "security gateway". In this way, we created a system that actually sets a new standard in data security. We're pretty proud of that." As well as the story behind its creation, "For a while, we worked at full speed on it and really rocked each other up," recalls Behnke, "but suddenly the solution was obvious”. Then Jürgen Primbs adds, "If such intensive cooperation is ultimately crowned with success, then it's really fun!

The first step towards a "barrier-free" hospital has been taken

For Jürgen Primbs, the innovative booking portal of the Eye Clinic is therefore only the first step towards digitalized hospital services. "Now that the structures are in place, the transfer of the concept to other departments is only a matter of time: Soon, other departments of the clinic will offer doctors in private practice the same booking convenience as the Eye Clinic.”

For Jürgen Primbs everything is suddenly possible, and he has long been thinking ahead. "For example, I have in mind a convenient online check-in system that will relieve staff, save patients and their relatives unnecessary waiting times, and make the stay in the clinic as pleasant and uncomplicated as possible for everyone involved.

The first step has been taken.

Jürgen Primbs, team and project manager at the LMU Munich