Background In view of the increasing availability and use of health apps, the question arises how they can be integrated into the healthcare system in such a way that positive effects in prevention and therapy can be achieved. Objectives The study explores which attitudes general practitioners have with regard to health apps, which application potentials they have perceived based on their previous experience, and under which conditions apps can be better integrated into patient care. Materials and methods Based on a preliminary study, a total of 1070 general practitioners (GPs) in Hesse (Germany) were anonymously interviewed by means of a written survey between January and March 2020. In addition to the descriptive analysis, a factor analysis was performed. A t-test was used to determine significant differences between two groups in independent samples. Results The respondents show very different clusters of attitudes and experiences with regard to the question in what way health apps can offer added value for patient care and where their potential uses lie. While open-minded physicians (35%) emphasize motivational and compliance advantages, skeptical physicians (44%) are suspicious of data security and reliability of apps as well as legal questions. Furthermore, they are concerned about additional burdens. Nonetheless, a majority perceives valuable application potential for health apps when it comes to lifestyle-related functions (66%/85%). For patients using health apps, 55% of the respondents observe positive contributions to health care and/or recovery. Although most physicians have so far been reluctant to recommend apps to patients, it is conceivable for a large part (72%) to include such applications in their own patient care more often in the future. Conclusion Despite the positive effects that health apps can have on prevention and therapy, many GPs have reservations regarding the manageability, transparency, and security of apps. These concerns should be addressed in order to create the prerequisites for the successful integration of health apps into primary care (such as data protection and quality standards, clear legal situation with regard to the use of apps by physicians, further education/training, tools for overview and classification).
