Telematics infrastructure: connecting care by July is "illusory"
Although the majority of care providers are already informed about the telematics infrastructure, very few will be connected by the deadline in July.
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By July 1, 2025, more than 30,000 care facilities must be connected to the telematics infrastructure (TI). However, according to information from the German Health IT Association (Bvitg), only a fraction have been connected to the TI so far. This is the result of a survey conducted by the association and the opta data group among 251 facilities questioned.
Most are informed
According to the survey, 92 percent of the facilities surveyed are informed about the mandatory connection to the TI. However, only around 33 percent, just under 12,000 facilities, have applied for an electronic institution ID card (SMC-B), which is required for connection to the TI. The figures are even lower for the connection to the e-mail service KIM (Kommunikation im Medizinwesen), where only around 2,000 addresses have been allocated. According to the Federal Association, "in just four months [...] around 27,000 care facilities would have to apply for an SMC-B and over 34,000 care facilities would still have to be connected to the KIM specialist service".
Deadlines for TI services are regularly missed
According to the survey, the reasons for the delay vary. 80 percent of the facilities surveyed stated that they primarily lack training, instructions and service. "So far, not a single implementation of the specialist services has been completed on time. In day-to-day consultations, it becomes clear that nobody believes in the specified start dates and the majority of facilities are therefore reluctant to make investments," says Wolfgang VoĂźkamp from the Federal Association of Outpatient Services and Inpatient Facilities (bad), which also supported the survey. Other supporters include the German Professional Association for Nursing Professions and the German Nursing Council.
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According to Voßkamp, the likelihood that all outpatient and inpatient care facilities will be connected to the TI by July 1, 2025 seems "illusory". In addition, the ongoing unreliability of the implementation of specialist services is seen as a major obstacle. "The survey has confirmed our impression that the connection of care to the telematics infrastructure is not being considered with – but as a sideline. Given the challenges that care facilities are currently facing, this is hardly surprising. The facilities urgently need to be better informed and also given practical support with implementation," says bvitg Managing Director Melanie Wendling.
In the past, it has been shown time and time again that care has been neglected when it comes to digitalization. One major problem is still that e-prescriptions for the care of nursing home residents are currently not allowed to be transmitted directly to pharmacies by doctors via KIM due to the prohibition on referrals. According to the German Apotheker Zeitung, there could be changes in this regard with the Pharmacy Reform Act. Pharmacies with home care contracts could then make corresponding agreements with doctors.
(mack)
