Overview

• The electronic patient record (ePA) system officially began nationwide implementation on April 29, 2025, after years of development and regional testing.
• All statutory insured individuals in Germany are automatically enrolled in the ePA unless they actively opt out, with the system centralizing medical data such as X-rays, prescriptions, and lab results.
• Users require NFC-enabled smartphones, health cards, and insurer-specific apps to access and manage their ePA, with technical challenges reported during setup and use.
• Privacy and security concerns persist, with critics highlighting issues like central data storage, untested components, and potential risks to patient confidentiality.
• By October 2025, ePA use will be mandatory for healthcare providers, with pseudonymized data slated for research use starting in July 2025, unless patients opt out.