Electronic patient record : first file system approved shortly before launch

Two days before the official launch of the electronic patient record (elektronische Patientenakte, ePA), the first of the two file systems required for this, in which the health insurance companies are to create the files for their insured people, was approved. This means that Bitmarck and RISE customers will initially receive a new electronic patient file. These include most company health insurance funds and other health insurance funds such as Barmer. Customers of AOK and Techniker Krankenkasse will have to wait until IBM's record system is also approved. It is unlikely that this will happen in time for the launch.

A letter from the German Health IT Association (Bundesverband Gesundheits-IT, Bvitg) to those responsible at the BMG and Gematik revealed that the start of test operations will probably only take place with the RISE file system. This is because the IBM system was not ready in time. In addition, the two file systems from IBM and RISE behave very differently, which makes interoperability more difficult. The restriction will only affect the test phase, which, according to Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, should be completed by April at the latest. The ePA 3.0 is only to be filled by doctors nationwide if it creates "positive experiences".

Bitmarck CEO Andreas Strausfeld was visibly relieved that the file system was ready on time. Compared to the first electronic patient record, the "accomplishment of this task [...] was incomparably more complex". "Specifications that were sometimes published late, last-minute changes and the implementation of the security patch just before the deadline made for an even more ambitious and ambitious schedule this time", said Strausfeld about the approval.

Launch under adverse conditions

Following criticism of the security and timetable for the launch of the ePA 3.0, the start of test operations in model regions was once again called into question. At the 38th Chaos Communication Congress, security researchers Bianca Kastl and Martin Tschirsich uncovered further security vulnerabilities in the ePA, which required Gematik to take action at short notice. Furthermore, the doctors participating in the model regions should first be placed on an allow list to be allowed to write data to the record systems.

(mack)