"Pseudo launch date": GPs criticize communication on ePA launch
The GP association criticizes the lack of transparency in the ePA launch. Ambiguities and delays could cause chaos in practices.
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Dr. Markus Beier, Co-Federal Chairman of the Association of General Practitioners, criticized the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) for its communication and planning for the launch of version 3.0 of the electronic patient file (ePA), which everyone will receive automatically unless they object. He described the BMG's approach as adventurous. The ministry had acknowledged a "time delay in the development roadmap", but "nobody can see through when the go-ahead will be given for what", said Beier. Last week, there was much discussion about a possible postponement of the nationwide rollout of the electronic patient file.
The BMG is planning for all insured persons to receive an ePA by February 15, 2025, as originally planned. However, it is unclear when doctors will actually be able to access and fill it in. Beier criticized the uncertainty about the specific start date for the practice teams. With the nationwide launch, doctors in hospitals and surgeries are obliged to upload data to the ePA, otherwise sanctions may be imposed. The co-chairman of the association called for "the entire launch to be postponed and for this to be communicated openly and honestly". Instead, a "pseudo launch date" is being adhered to, although many doctors will probably not even be able to use the ePA by then.
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Beier described the BMG's communication in the Ă„rztezeitung as more than disconcerting. Social media posts that doctors will be able to use the ePA sometime in March are no substitute for clear guidelines for the further course of the project. The GP association also fears that the practice teams will start using the ePA from one day to the next at the behest of the BMG. This is no way to plan an IT project for over 70 million insured persons and hundreds of thousands of doctors, Beier told the Ă„rztezeitung. Those responsible are well on the way to completely botching the start of this important project. Beier had already warned of a chaotic start to the electronic patient file in the past.
MEDI medical association calls for "significant postponement" of ePA launch
The medical association MEDI Baden-WĂĽrttemberg had previously criticized the BMG's plans and called for a "significantly longer test phase" for the ePA. "By now at the latest, it should finally be clear to the BMG that the nationwide rollout in mid-February cannot be adhered to," warned MEDI Chairman Dr. Norbert Smetak. He referred to the lack of a test environment for the manufacturers of practice management systems (PVS) and called for a realistic and transparent launch of the ePA. It was irresponsible to want to implement the "mega project" ePA in practices within a few weeks.
BMG: Nationwide ePA rollout starts after successful trial period
After Spiegel, among others, reported last week on an alleged postponement of the ePA rollout, the BMG has clarified that it is sticking to the planned launch of the "electronic patient file for all" in the model regions of Hamburg, Franconia and North Rhine-Westphalia on January 15. However, the software manufacturers are no longer obliged to provide the ePA modules for doctors' practices and hospitals at this time, but only "after a successful test phase". According to the BMG, this should be completed after "around four weeks" so that the nationwide rollout can begin in mid-February.
(mack)
