The Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, Louisa Specht-Riemenschneider, is calling for significant enhancements to the electronic Patientenakte (ePA) apps that are set to become mandatory starting October 1st, 2025. These applications aim to empower patients with greater control over their health data management but currently lack crucial features necessary to limit access by medical professionals.
As of January 15th, 2025, the ePA system was initiated with certain challenges, yet it has been made available to all insured individuals through their respective health insurance providers since February. By April 29th, 2025, the ePA is fully operational across Germany, allowing healthcare facilities such as clinics and pharmacies to utilize this platform. However, despite its promising launch, issues persist regarding data protection for patients.
The Federal Commissioner highlights a critical flaw: patients cannot specify which medical practitioners have access to their health records via these apps. This means that while the ePA aims to grant users more control over their personal information, it currently falls short of expectations concerning privacy and security. Specht-Riemenschneider emphasizes that EU regulations are on the horizon, aiming for stricter data protection measures, thus urging stakeholders to preemptively implement finer-grained access controls before these new laws come into effect.
The German Patient Protection Foundation has also criticized this aspect of the ePA system, pointing out that patients undergoing psychotherapy do not have the option to selectively restrict information visibility. This critique underscores broader concerns about privacy and patient rights within digital health frameworks.
Improvements Needed for Digital Health Privacy
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