Health
So far, insured persons hardly use electronic patient files
On October 1st, the use of the EPA is mandatory for medical practices and clinics. So far, however, the patients have hardly taken any insight.
The electronic patient file (EPA) is still very little used by patients and insured persons as a mandatory application in practices and clinics in Germany. This emerges from a survey by the “Ärzte Zeitung” among the largest statutory health insurance companies.
Accordingly, a total of almost 50 million EPAs were set up for the insured with the three largest individual treasures TK, Barmer, DAK and the eleven AOKs, which did not actively object in the so-called opt-out procedure. However, only almost 1.5 million insured – that is three percent – registered for the use of EPA via the respective cash register app. In order to use the EPA app of your health insurance company, the insured must go through a complex registration process.
Not all practices yet connected
According to the report, the health insurers hope that the number of users will increase if the files for doctors become mandatory on October 1st. In the end, however, it was said that the technical requirements have not yet been created everywhere because practices had to wait for the necessary software modules. According to the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV), a fifth of the practices recently could not work with the EPA.
Since January, health insurance companies have created an e-file for around 70 million of the total of 74 million legally insured persons.
The EPA should be able to accompany patients for a lifetime. By bundling examination findings, laboratory values or information about medication centrally, it should contribute to better treatments.
dpa
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
