What's going on?
It's a truism in German life that digitalisation is always the project of tomorrow, but with new plans to offer e-prescriptions at all clinics in the country and encourage the take-up of new electronic patient records, that could all be about to change.
On Wednesday, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) unveiled plans to push ahead with the digitalisation of healthcare in Germany.
At the heart of the plans are electronic prescriptions that can be issued and used simply by inserting a health insurance card in a card reader.
These were officially launched in July, but so far the take-up has been relatively limited. That should change over summer and by next year, every clinic and pharmacy in Germany should be doling out prescriptions digitally.
READ ALSO: What you should know about Germany's plans to roll out e-prescriptions
"It is honestly no longer justifiable at all that we are still printing out prescriptions via paper in this day and age," said Lauterbach.
"We are a developing country in the area of digitalisation of our health system. That is unfortunately the case, so we're in a race to catch up."
In addition, everyone in Germany with statutory insurance should soon be enrolled for electronic medical records unless they explicitly decide to opt out.
According to Lauterbach, this should help ensure that patients aren't given treatments that might interfere with other existing medications or treatments and would also save time in unnecessary tests and investigations.
How do people currently receive prescriptions?
At the moment, most prescriptions are printed on a pink slip of paper, though it is possible to get a digital QR code that can either be printed or displayed on a smartphone. This can then be scanned at the pharmacy when you go to pick up your medication.
Since July 1st, the health insurance card system has also been in place in some pharmacies and doctor's surgeries.
The patient simply inserts their card at the doctor's surgery to receive the prescription and then inserts it in a special card reader at the pharmacy to order the medication.
The process works by storing the data on a central server and then giving the pharmacies permission to retrieve the data when the patient comes in.
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"More than 80 percent of all pharmacies already offer this function," a spokesperson for the German Pharmacists' Association told DPA.
"By the end of August, or at the latest in September, the function should be available across the board."
On the doctors' side, however, things look a little less rosy: according to the chair of the GP's Association, Markus Beier, manufacturers of practice management systems are dragging their feet when it comes to bringing the technology up to scratch.
When it comes to electronic medical records, meanwhile, the take-up remains tiny.
Though these digital records have been around in Germany since 2021, barely one percent of the 74 million people with statutory insurance have opted into the service.
When will e-prescriptions and electronic patient records be more widely rolled out?
The e-prescription is to become a binding standard in the supply of medicines on January 1st, 2024. Instead of the usual pink slip, patients will receive a code on their mobile phone or on their electronic health card, which they can use to collect medication from pharmacies.
The e-prescription has been in the planning for years. However, the project was repeatedly postponed due to data protection concerns, technical problems and resistance from doctors and pharmacists.
READ ALSO: Why are medicines in Germany only available in pharmacies?
Starting on January 15th, 2025, people with statutory health insurance should automatically receive an electronic patient record (ePA). Germany's cabinet intends to adopt a corresponding draft law at the end of August. This should enable millions of people with statutory health insurance to digitally store their X-rays and other treatment data.
By January 1st, 2025, the electronic emergency data should also be stored on the ePA. Insured people will then have the right to have old, selected patient files digitised by their health insurance company.
What about telemedicine and digital health apps?
Telemedicine is to become an integral part of Germany's healthcare system. In particular, video consultation hours will become more widely advertised and available, according to Lauterbach. The previous limitation capping video appointments to a maximum of 30 percent of medical services is to be lifted.
Digital health apps, geared towards all types of medical treatments and conditions, will also be rolled out as part of the plan, and available to anyone with statutory health insurance.
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