Germany’s Electronic Patient File, set to be tested in select regions starting this Wednesday, still requires improvement, according to the Union. “I don’t consider the current setup of the electronic patient file innovative enough” said Tino Sorge, the health policy spokesperson for the Union, to the Handelsblatt (Wednesday edition). “This is a point that needs to be addressed in the next legislative period.” Digitalization should have a higher priority in the healthcare sector, he added.
The electronic patient file has faced strong criticism. Last year, the Chaos Computer Club uncovered significant security breaches in data protection. Civil society organizations had warned in an open letter to Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) against a rushed nationwide rollout.
The deputy chair of the SPD parliamentary group, Dagmar Schmidt, said the electronic patient file will remain voluntary, as patients can opt out. “However, we still encourage its use” Schmidt told the Handelsblatt. With the electronic file, all patients will have direct access to their own data and can decide who can view and use their information. Moreover, “the time of faxing back and forth between doctors and hospitals is over” she added.