German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) has expressed an optimistic outlook on the future of the healthcare system in Germany. “The generation after mine will be the first to largely live free of dementia and cancer in old age”Lauterbach told the Watson news portal.
He attributes this to the combination of digitalization, research data and artificial intelligence (AI). “We will be able to heal or at least significantly reduce these diseases in 20 to 30 years”the minister said. The expansion of the electronic patient file (ePA) plays a central role in this, according to Lauterbach.
Not only does it enable better care through digital availability of test results, medication lists and laboratory results, but also advances in research: “We can then generate hypotheses quickly, conduct studies and simply research much faster. There will be many breakthroughs.”
Experts are skeptical of such predictions for diseases like cancer and dementia. While new therapy approaches and the use of AI may increase healing rates, the complexity of these diseases makes long-term predictions challenging.
Despite this, Lauterbach remains convinced that Germany, with the current reforms, will take the lead in ten years. “I see a digital, modern and efficient healthcare system. Germany will have one of the best in the world – if these measures are consistently implemented.