Germany's Electronic Patient Record Set for Nationwide Rollout Amid Security Concerns
The mandatory electronic patient record launches in test regions January 15, with promises of improved care but facing criticism over data security and usability.
- The electronic patient record (ePA) will be introduced in test regions on January 15, 2025, before a nationwide rollout by March, with an opt-out system for Germany's 74 million insured citizens.
- The ePA aims to centralize medical records, reduce redundant tests, and improve diagnoses, while integrating data from doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies into a unified digital system.
- Critics, including IT experts and medical professionals, have raised concerns about security vulnerabilities, data privacy risks, and usability challenges, such as long loading times and limited search functionality.
- Patient data will be stored on secure servers in Germany and can be accessed via a smartphone app, though older or less tech-savvy users may face difficulties in managing their records.
- The system will also feed anonymized data into a national research center and potentially the EU's health data space, raising further debates about data protection and ethical concerns.
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