Current developments in the e-health sector - What's next?

Digitalization at the moment and its various facets are probably one of the most discussed topics in society and politics in Germany now. In addition to the demands for a faster expansion of the fibre optic network, the warnings of a shortage of skilled workers in the IT sector and buzzwords such as "Big Data", a uniform digital health record play an important role in the discussions. In this blog, we would like to bring this topic closer to you and shed light on some critical aspects.

An electronic patient record can be defined in different ways. The Voice of the German Industry (BDI, Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie) sees an "ePA" (electronic patient file) as a "form of combining personal data and information, driven by the benefit to the insured person in order to create an integrated and individualized care for an individual." A useful definition - but not nationwide.

However, the translucent advantages cannot be denied: faster and more secure information for treating physicians, integration possibilities of patient applications or storage of video treatments and thus improved care overall.

The possible benefits in this area are as numerous as the link options. At the same time, however, there is also a need for regulation. Although it has been fixed since the 14^th of March 2019 that all health insurance funds must offer their insured persons an electronic health record by 2021, many fundamental aspects still need to be clarified by the legislator.

One example is the way in which data is stored in the records: Should these be unchangeable documents or interactive records that can be processed by different doctors? Should these data be stored centrally or de-centrally? How should the documents be structured? And above all: who has access and is responsible for data protection?

The first pilot projects, for example by the Techniker Krankenkasse or the AOK Nordost, German Health Insurances, provide patients with insights into their health records and show possible forms of such a project.

To sum it up: Much remains to be done on the way to an ePA in a German context. However, it can be strongly assumed that the output will be worthwhile for all those involved, especially for the patients.

BY Prof. Matthias P. Schönermark, M.D., Ph.D., managing director and Sebastian Marben, B. Sc. Economics

Source: BDI-Initiative Gesundheit Digital (German only)