Digital Patient Records: Doctors Face October Deadline, Patient Control Remains Key
Berlin, Germany – A notable shift in healthcare data management is on the horizon. As of October 1st, doctors and healthcare providers in Germany will be legally required to utilize the Electronic Patient File (EPA) system for storing patient diagnoses, treatments, and medication information, making it centrally accessible. This marks the end of a transition period initially granted following the automatic setup of EPA accounts for all legally insured individuals in mid-February 2025 – unless patients actively opted out.
While the mandate applies to healthcare professionals, participation for patients remains entirely voluntary. Individuals who did not object to the creation of an EPA will have one established for them, but can request its deletion at any time. Crucially, patients retain complete control over who can access their data.
According to the German Federal Government,the EPA is designed with privacy at its core. Access is granted only when a patient presents their electronic health card at a doctor’s office,and even then,authorization can be limited – both in terms of duration and the specific data shared – through the EPA app.
Though, it’s critically important to note a key aspect of data sharing: once a document is released to a healthcare provider through the EPA, it becomes fully accessible to them for the duration of treatment. Responding to inquiries from MDR, the Federal Ministry of Health clarified that restricting access to individual treatment documents per provider is not a feature of the system. The Ministry emphasized that the EPA’s primary goal is to ensure all relevant treatment information is readily available to healthcare professionals when and where it’s needed.
This change comes as Germany also prepares for a potential “warning day” in September, as energy prices and heating costs continue to be a concern for many.While seemingly unrelated, both developments underscore a broader trend towards increased digitization and data management across key sectors in germany. Healthcare providers are urged to familiarize themselves with the EPA system and ensure a smooth transition by the October 1st deadline.
Keywords: Electronic Patient File, EPA, Germany, Healthcare, Digital Health, Data Privacy, Patient Records, October Deadline, Health Insurance, MDR, Federal ministry of Health, Warning Day, Heating Costs.
