Head German Medical Association: Gateway to digital patient records is too big

After security researchers found serious flaws in the electronic patient file (ePA) at the 38th Chaos Communication Congress, the head of the German Medical Association (Bundesärztekammer), Klaus Reinhardt, is calling for rapid improvements. As things stand, he cannot recommend the ePA. Nevertheless, this is not an invitation to opt out. The Association of Pediatricians and Adolescent Doctors (BVKJ), on the other hand, advises parents to file an objection for their children. This is reported in the Ärzteblatt and Ärztezeitung.

Reinhardt considers the potential gateways to be too large and, considering recent statements by the Federal Minister of Health, is certain that this has also reached the Federal Ministry of Health. This refers to an X-Post by Karl Lauterbach, in which it was stated that the ePA would only be rolled out once it was secure against hacker attacks, “including those of the CCC".

Risks are played down

“It is frustrating how those responsible are trying to downplay a data gap that is easy for professional attackers to overcome and to create the impression that the ePA would ensure data security in Germany," BVKJ President Michael Hubmann also criticized, according to the Ärzteblatt.

According to information from the Ärzteblatt, the BVKJ contacted the BMG, the Federal Data Protection Commissioner Louisa-Specht Riemenschneider, the Patient Commissioner and Gematik at the end of November and pointed out data protection risks for children and adolescents that first had to be rectified. Until the deficiencies have been clarified and rectified, the association can therefore only advise parents to object. Although the BVJK welcomes an electronic patient file, it would have to be “functional and secure”.

(mack)