Electronic patient files: AOK provides information about advantages and possibilities

Electronic patient files: AOK provides information about advantages and possibilities

electronic patient files: an important step towards digital health care

The electronic patient file (EPA) should be automatically set up for all legally insured persons in Germany from January 15, 2025, unless actively contradicted. This regulation is part of a comprehensive digital law that is intended to promote networking in healthcare. In a recent survey by the opinion research institute Civey, which was carried out in August 2024 on behalf of the AOK federal association, many citizens expressed themselves skeptically about the topic of EPA. This shows that there is still a significant need for information.

The survey, which responded to a total of 10,000 people, revealed that 61 percent of the respondents agree to the planned introduction, while almost 20 percent reject and about 15 percent are undecided. This indecision rose compared to a previous survey in November 2023, which indicates a certain uncertainty among the population. The AOK federal association, represented by the CEO Dr. Carola Reimann sees this development a challenge, but also an opportunity to clarify the advantages of the EPA and the comprehensive protection of sensitive health data.

One of the central advantages of the EPA is the simple accessibility of personal health data. The results of the survey show a great interest in digitally seeing health data such as doctor's letters and laboratory data. In particular, digital affine people who are interested in new technologies are positive about the EPA. 77 percent of those surveyed expressed interest in viewing information about prescribed treatments and medication. This could make the treatment process considerably easier and increase the quality of medical care.

Another point of the survey is the interest of people to upload their own documents to the EPA. It was shown here that only 57 percent of those surveyed would agree to this option. This could indicate that the willingness to actively participate in the care of one's own health data is not yet sufficiently pronounced.

On the occasion of the results of the current survey, Dr. Carola Reimann the importance of the Enlightenment: "We are responsible for providing comprehensive information about the EPA and its possibilities." She points out that insured persons also have the option of contradicting the establishment of the EPA within six weeks of receipt of a corresponding message. This period offers those affected the opportunity to make their decision well and, if necessary, decide against the new form of filing.

The introduction of the EPA could not only centralize the individual health data, but also help to avoid double treatments and to improve communication between doctors. In this way, specialists could specifically access the health history of patients and thereby ensure more efficient treatment.

The upcoming EPA rollout will begin in various pilot regions before it is introduced nationwide in February 2025. This change is a major step in the digital transformation of the healthcare system and will change the way patients manage their health data and communicate with medical specialists.

Overall, the survey shows that the introduction of electronic patient files is an important but also challenging development in healthcare. To ensure that all insured persons can benefit from the advantages, it is crucial that the AOK Federal Association continues to pursue proactive information strategies and remove uncertainties.