On April 29, 2025, a new era of digital health care is about to begin with an electronic patient file-display, enough to IT security concerns. An EPA file has already been created for about 70 million legally insured individuals who have not objected to the EPA. Now these files are now to be automatically filled all over Germany. From October 1, doctors will be forced to do so and even punished from the beginning of next year if they do not fill the EPAs.
In the past, the Federal Association of Health IT (BVITG) repeatedly called for the realistic schedule for the implementation of the software for the electronic patient file and finally mentioned that the EPA infrastructure still has challenges such as different files. The association is a “solution -solution cooperation, care, politics, self -feeling and a collaborative colleague without allocation to individual project participants among service providers in the industry”.
We talked to EPA from Manni Vandalings, Managing Director of BVITG, hopes and how IT projects in the healthcare sector should start in future.
Melanie Vandaling is the Managing Director of BVITG since August 2022 and in front of it is in the form of major health and rehabilitation of the department in German statutory accident insurance.
(Image: BVITG)
What does the new beginning date for electronic patient file mean?
We have always investigated to “smooth”: how much the telematics tolerates infrastructure, how is it going on?
What do you want from a new government?
Continuity in digitization efforts will be desirable. The digitization strategy was the first overload, and it would have to continue. Everyone involved should be integrated and it includes industry. It is not possible that in the end we are involved and faced with skillful facts, according to the motto: we have considered something, now it is applying.
It takes a plan what should be done. Everywhere in the industry, there is a lack of skilled workers, which creates a crazy work pressure. A new government should sit and consider: at what time we want to create – and then reliable and implementable programs. It is much more intelligent than doing everything at the same time. Then it hooks at all corners and ends.

Does the Health Digital Agency Act (GDAG) helps it that it is no longer created?
What happens to GDAG is a good question. GDAG was a good law in its goal. As an industry, we always asked for the competence center for interoperability in a Kig, ie healthcare system. We still think that this is correct, only then please with specifications for all involved in the healthcare system. And important: The free market should be maintained. We are happy to help us, we are already active in the last two years. BVITG is not a preventive. We would like to actively help in size suggestions.
We also know that the German system is very slow and many players participate. We have to work better and cooperation has already improved. But the industry is not a shareholder, so we rely on the fact that there is a gem that talks to us. Because there is an expertise in the industry that is not available in gemptics, or in KBV, or in DKG. And whatever is still coming, with it it is important to us that there is a kind of roadmap. When should the area come? This scheme is the only way to provide security.
It is said more often: the industry did not manage it, so gametics will now have the right again. How do you guess it?
BMG only had a majority of a gametic under former Federal Health Minister Jens Spain. Earlier, the subject was anchored in self -government. And what should the industry have managed? Everyone did something – it’s not how it works. If there are no rules of sports, everyone plays the same as it wants. This is why we, as an industry, are happy that now Kig is which should make a uniform standard.
Will all previous problems with telematics infrastructure 2.0 dissolve in the air?
Some problems dissolve in the air. It is important that the problem areas are designated transparent and openly, otherwise it will be difficult to find the solution.
Are there components that should come from a state -hand?
I think it is important to find a good, healthy average status between regulator and free competition. When it comes to AI, we also have to know how to regulate it – especially with a scene for American companies. It is important that we regulate there. But we have to fast at the same time. Our most popular example is always general data security regulation. This applies throughout Europe. Why can Denmark or France do things that we can’t do? Because it is explained differently. And this cannot be just. Europe is only strong when we have similar rules in a strong market.
Data protectionists also work on this …
Yes, I already have this experience that new Federal Data Protection, Pro. Both Speech-Rimensnider and Federal Office of Security of Information Technology, both Chairman of Ms. Planetar, are both chasing a very practical approach. And I think Germany is doing very well.
Many European AI providers and many systems also want to integrate AI. We should not display it, be quick and say: We have our European guidelines with European companies and we certify them.
Once the solution sets themselves, it is always difficult to move away from it. Almost everyone has already used chat and very few people know that you cannot rely on chat. Many young people in my environment are no longer Google who chat. This is a child’s game. But we have to think about it: Do we want the way it is at the moment? Or do we want to regulate it?
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