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Germany Set to Launch Nationwide Electronic Patient Record on April 29

The ePA will centralize health data for 73 million insured citizens, but unresolved security concerns and technical challenges remain.

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Eine Informationstafel zur ePA steht am Empfang einer Arztpraxis
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Overview

  • The electronic patient record (ePA) will automatically enroll all statutory insured citizens starting April 29, with mandatory use by healthcare providers from October 1.
  • Patients can control access to their medical data, including doctor letters, lab results, and prescriptions, via health cards and smartphone apps.
  • Health Minister Karl Lauterbach assures the system is highly secure, but IT experts from the Chaos Computer Club argue critical vulnerabilities persist.
  • Pilot regions report growing adoption, with nearly 304,000 weekly accesses and 70,000 medication list views, while opt-out rates remain low.
  • Regional medical associations highlight ongoing technical issues and workflow integration challenges as potential barriers to a smooth rollout.