A recent survey commissioned by the AOK Federal Association has revealed a significant knowledge gap ahead of the mandatory rollout of the electronic patient record (ePA) in Germany. The survey, conducted by Forsa and reported by newspapers within the Funke-Mediengruppe, indicates that a vast majority of insured individuals who have visited a doctor in 2024 have yet to be informed about the new system.
The findings reveal that 84% of those who saw a physician this year haven’t had the ePA mentioned during their appointments. Only 9% report being approached by a doctor or practice staff member about it and just 6% proactively raised the topic themselves.
Despite the limited awareness, interest in the ePA remains high. A substantial 88% of insured individuals express a desire to access their health data, such as doctor’s reports and lab results, through the system. A slightly smaller majority (63%) are open to storing documents within their ePA and making them accessible to their physicians, while 18% express reservations.
The survey, which polled 8,509 legally insured individuals aged 18 and over between August 18th and September 14th, 2024, highlights the challenge of delivering widespread adoption for the ePA, intended to serve approximately 70 million insured Germans. While physicians have been able to voluntarily upload findings since spring, mandatory use in practices, clinics and pharmacies begins on October 1st.
Federal Minister of Health Nina Warken (CDU) has acknowledged sporadic reports of inadequate technical infrastructure in some practices, criticizing the lack of preparedness. She emphasized that sanctions for non-compliance will be implemented from January 2026. The Minister stated that a significant portion of practices and hospitals are already connected to the system and urged for rapid advancement in technical capabilities to ensure comprehensive data input.
Health economist Wolfgang Greiner suggests increased public awareness campaigns are crucial to explain the benefits of the ePA, emphasizing that adoption will not be automatic. He notes that the value proposition might not be as immediately obvious to individuals as it is with online banking. Greiner also stressed the importance of educating patients about the possibility of deleting information and cautioned against premature actions that could have unintended consequences, such as hindering the discovery of drug interactions.
Looking ahead, Greiner advocates for the inclusion of self-generated health data, such as blood sugar and blood pressure readings and data from health apps and wearable devices within the ePA to enhance treatment processes. He also called for an expanded function to include documentation on organ donation wishes and the location of advance care directives or healthcare proxies.
Louisa Specht-Riemenschneider, the Federal Data Protection Commissioner, highlighted the need for ongoing improvements, particularly in patient rights management, suggesting more granular control over individual documents. While the existing legal framework already offers avenues for objection, she believes document-specific settings would be beneficial. The Commissioner reiterated her commitment to analyzing further development stages and advising relevant authorities to prevent data protection violations.
Security vulnerabilities previously identified by the Chaos Computer Club (CCC) have reportedly been addressed.