Healthcare: Warken announces update of digitisation strategy

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In an interview with Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND), the new Federal Minister of Health, Nina Warken (CDU), outlined comprehensive reform plans for the healthcare system. Her focus is on accelerated digitalization, a new distribution of tasks in healthcare, and strict controls on the use of artificial intelligence (AI). At the same time, Warken promises to keep health insurance contributions stable.

“Rethinking”

Warken emphasizes the need to “rethink” the entire healthcare system and question traditional role models. Considering the shortage of skilled labor and an aging society, she wants to distribute care across more shoulders. Pharmacies, for example, are to be more closely involved—a solution that has been successfully tested in several European countries. Warken plans to allow pharmacies to dispense prescription drugs under clear legal regulations, for example, to chronically ill patients or in uncomplicated cases. This is to take place in technical consultation with the BfArM, the German Medicines Agency. Warken counters critics by stating that clear guidelines guarantee patient safety; in her opinion, the economic interests of pharmacies play no role.

In the interview, the minister presents the electronic patient file (ePA) as a flagship project of the digitization strategy to date. Practices and insured people are increasingly using the ePA. According to the ministry, “around 90 to 95 percent of practices” are already connected, with millions of documents and medication lists being added to or retrieved from the files every week. Although Warken acknowledges technical problems and the previous unreliability of electronic prescriptions (e-prescriptions), he sees significant improvements in everyday life. Pharmacists had complained about repeated e-prescription failures in the past. The performance of the telematics infrastructure has improved. Through legal measures—further digital laws have been announced for spring 2026—technical stability is to be further improved. Plans include electronic referrals and the expansion of a modern digital infrastructure in the healthcare sector.

Potential for AI

Like her predecessor, Warken also sees considerable potential for artificial intelligence in medicine and care. AI systems could provide support with diagnostics, documentation, and administrative tasks, thus relieving the burden on nursing staff and making care more efficient. At the same time, the minister insists on clear rules: responsibility for diagnoses and treatments must always remain with the person. AI can only supplement doctors, not replace them. This line—Utilizing opportunities while maintaining human control—should also be firmly anchored in the BMG's revised digital strategy.

Financing and contribution stability

Regarding the financial situation of the statutory health insurance funds, Warken emphasized that the federal government had agreed on a coordinated approach. They are now waiting for reliable figures on the expected deficit. Only then would targeted measures follow to avoid further burdens for citizens and the economy. At the same time, the digitalization projects in the healthcare sector are themselves expensive: the new Digital Act alone will cost the social insurance system around 809 million euros in one-off costs. On the other hand, there is potential for savings, for example, through greater drug therapy safety. Nevertheless, Warken is sticking to her course of protecting contributors from additional costs.

It was only in mid-December that the Bundesrat and Bundestag passed central digital laws for better care and research. Warken's proposals follow on seamlessly from this: They address key points that were also the focus of the Ministry of Health's previous digital strategy—from electronic patient records and e-prescriptions to better use of data. Digitalization is considered a great opportunity, but practical implementation remains challenging. There have already been heated data protection debates in parliament about the “transparent patient.”

Experts also warn that technical infrastructure and IT security must keep pace with progress. Without a stable telematics infrastructure (TI), TI products would quickly become an additional burden for practices and clinics.

Warken's pharmacy reform is also likely to remain controversial. Medical associations are warning against a softening of the clear division of roles in patient care. Under Warken's predecessor Karl Lauterbach, it has already been decided to reorganize the previous operating company Gematik into a federally owned digital agency. This should allow projects such as the ePA to be driven forward more stringently and TI failures to be rectified more quickly. However, there has been criticism of Gematik's planned dual role: it would be both a standardization body and an operational service provider, which industry representatives see as problematic. Overall, Warken's plans address many of these long-standing issues.

(mack)