The electronic patient file: advantages and risks for every insured person!
The electronic patient file: advantages and risks for every insured person!
From 2025, the electronic patient file (EPA) in Germany will be introduced nationwide. This innovation is intended to make access to health data easier for all legally insured persons and to make the healthcare system more efficient as a whole. The system is first tested in certain model regions such as Hamburg and in Central, Upper and Lower Franconia before it is extended to the entire federal territory by mid-February.
The EPA is provided via a special app offered by the health insurance companies. Insured persons have the option of managing their medical data independently: You can view, add or delete information. A security feature of the EPA is that access to the data is protected by PIN, which ensures the insurance of data protection and self -determination for the users. An automatically given access for doctors is not provided; Rather, patients have to give their approval.
advantages and disadvantages of the EPA
The EPA is considered a significant progress by many. Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach described the introduction as a "quantum leap" for the German health system. The advantages are obvious: the risk of double examinations could be reduced and doctors could access relevant information faster in emergencies. This could save patient life in critical situations.
Nevertheless, there are also concerns. Despite the high security standards in Germany, data protection risks cannot be completely ruled out. In particular, the German Aidshilfe expressed concern about possible discrimination, since certain health states could be derived from billing data. Fears regarding possible cyber attacks also make waves and lead to a certain distrust of the new digital act.
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