From March to May, the health insurance company Barmer launched a survey among the medical profession, in which the health care professions were generally asked about the electronic patient file (ePA). The representative sample of 1000 doctors showed that many of those questioned would like more information about the new form of digital healthcare in Germany, as 94 per cent do not feel well and correctly informed in the run-up to the launch of the ePA on 1 January 2021. Only 27 percent feel that they are well or very well positioned in terms of advice and their own application and use. 40 percent of those surveyed do not know exactly what to expect, which is why they also view the new work aid with scepticism and expect more information on how the „health manager“ ePA is to be handled, from which the insured should also benefit since better transparency of the health status of the insured should prevent incorrect medication. Many health insurance companies hope that double examinations will not be the order of the day in the future. The medical profession is particularly interested in the possibilities of cooperation with other doctors, including those from other disciplines, but also in the security of their patients‘ data and the connection of ePa to the telematics infrastructure (TI). Barmer, whose electronic patient file is called Barmer eCare, is trying to support doctors in the best possible way by preparing a FAQ list containing all the answers to current questions about the introduction of ePa for doctors. This list is then regularly revised and supplemented with additional answers, explains Jürgen Rothmaier, Deputy Chairman of the Barmer Management Board.
Source: kma-online.de