Health card should contain more data

Electronic health card: card should contain more data

01/14/2015

Federal Health Minister Hermann Gröhe (CDU) wants to put pressure on the electronic health card (eGK). Soon, more data will be stored on the card, such as emergency data or drug plans. Blockers face heavy fines.

Minister of Health is putting pressure
Federal Health Minister Hermann Gröhe (CDU) wants to make doctors and health insurance companies in the further development of the electronic health card (eGK) pressure. With the „E-Health Act“, that should come into force at the beginning of 2016, strict self-administration will be set. If the actors do not meet the deadlines, they face heavy fines. As reported, the ministry does not want to tolerate any further delays in the development of the eGK.

More data on the health card in the future
It was also announced that the emergency data of the insured persons should be registered at the eGK by 1 January 2018 at the latest. Data on pre-existing conditions, previous treatments, prescribed medication or hypersensitivity to certain drugs could help prevent treatment errors. In addition, patients receiving at least five different drugs are legally entitled to a medication plan to avoid life-threatening changes and side effects. This plan is to be electronically available in 2018, but can be issued in writing from October next year.

One billion euros insured contributions
Hospitals will also receive additional compensation from 1 July 2016 when they send discharge letters to the family doctor in electronic form after a hospital stay. And doctors get the online exchange of letters paid. The eGK, which has been mandatory since the beginning of the year, differs from the old health insurance card only in the printed photo and as before contains the name, date of birth, insurance number and address of the patient. According to the ministry, the card has so far swallowed around one billion euros in insured contributions.

Years of delays
Actually, the health card should have been introduced in 2006, but due to disputes of the parties over responsibilities, data protection and costs, the project came to a halt again and again. There are still many critics who think the card is not an improvement. The initiative „Stops the e-card“, in over 50 organizations, such as the Chaos Computer Club, the Free Medical Association e. V. and the German AIDS Aid even demand that the billions of euros project eGK be stamped. (Ad)