CHECK Berlin #4

DIGITAL
THE “ELEKTRONISCHE
PATIENTENAKTE”
ENGLISH
Foto: vladwel / stock.adobe.com
The digital revolution does not stop at patient data. The
“Elektronische Patientenakte” (ePa) is the German version of
the electronic health record. It promises less paperwork, better
diagnostic options and more clarity for specialists. How good is
the ePa and why do some voices remain critical about its use?
WHAT EXACTLY
IS THE EPA?
The ePa is intended to
digitally summarize and
save patient information.
This includes x-rays, blood
tests, medication taken and
previous illnesses. Doctors hope
that this will give them a more
comprehensive view of patient data.
The ePa is voluntary and being tested in 200
practices since January. From July 2021, all 73
million legally insured persons in Germany will
be able to connect their file to a wide network
of doctors, therapists and hospitals. The ePa
app developed for this purpose should also
enable you to upload documents yourself and
manage your own e-files.
WHAT ELSE WILL BE DIGITIZED?
The e-file is just the beginning. From 2022 the
vaccination card, the maternity card, the examination
booklet for children and the dental
bonus booklet will also be digitized. This way,
double examinations should be avoided in the
future and the risk of treatment errors minimized.
However, digital data may also be used for
research in an anonymous form.
DO I HAVE CONTROL OVER
MY DATA?
The patients themselves are supposed to determine
which health data ends up in the ePa.
It is planned that documents can also be deleted
again. Health insurance companies should
also not have access to the data, according to
the Federal Ministry of Health: “Nobody except
the insured person and those who have been
authorized to do so can read the content.”
Also, doctors will only be allowed to access
the ePa if they get a patient permit for this.
CRITICISM OF THE EPA
Data protection activists complain that it will
only be possible to determine which doctor
can view each document from January 2022.
Until then, a physiotherapist can see the
report on a PrEP intake. There is also a fear of
hacking attacks. In Finland, cyber ​criminals
stole tens of thousands of confidential psychotherapeutic
treatment data from a private
provider in order to extort money. Although the
data is stored in encrypted form, the case in
Finland shows that security measures may not
be sufficient. (ts)
You can find more information about
the ePa on the website of the German
Federal Ministry of Health.
Sources: ZDF, BMG
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