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[HEALTH] · Germany · 5 sources

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Part of situation: Digital healthcare integration in Germany (6 clusters)

Germany to release electronic patient data for research

electronic patient file ePA health data research medical data privacy digital healthcare Germany

Starting in late October, pseudonymized data from Germany’s electronic patient files (ePA) will be made available for medical research. The initial phase will focus on medication lists, which will be sent to the Health Research Data Center (FDZ) after names and insurance numbers are replaced with codes. Access to this data is not limited to universities; pharmaceutical companies, health insurance providers, and consumer protection groups may also apply for access, provided the projects aim to improve healthcare.

Patients retain the right to opt out of this data sharing through the ePA app or their insurance provider.

However, the rollout faces criticism regarding technical reliability and adoption. A report by MEDI GENO Deutschland notes that only 23.6 percent of statutory insured individuals use the digital file. Additionally, Gematik reported significant technical issues in 2025, including 162 disruptions to the ePA and 164 outages related to e-prescriptions, with the Telematics Infrastructure being impaired an average of 25 times per month.

Entities

Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (BfDI) · Germany · Health Research Data Center (FDZ) · MEDI GENO Deutschland · gematik

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

  • [○ 1 SOURCE] Only 23.6 percent of statutory health insurance members use the electronic patient file. borncity.com
  • [● 2 SOURCES] Data sent to the Health Research Data Center (FDZ) will be pseudonymized by replacing names and insurance numbers with codes. www.rtl.de · wochentlich.de
  • [● 2 SOURCES] Insured individuals have the right to opt out of data sharing via the ePA app or their health insurance provider. www.rtl.de · wochentlich.de
  • [○ 1 SOURCE] There were 162 recorded disruptions to the electronic patient file and 164 outages for e-prescriptions. borncity.com
  • [● 2 SOURCES] The initial data released for research will consist of medication lists. www.rtl.de · wochentlich.de
  • [○ 1 SOURCE] Gematik reported that the Telematics Infrastructure was impaired an average of 25 times per month in 2025. borncity.com
  • [● 2 SOURCES] Starting at the end of October, pseudonymized data from electronic patient files (ePA) can be used for research purposes. www.rtl.de · wochentlich.de

Sources

Ab Ende Oktober werden Gesundheitsdaten für Forschung genutzt – so können Patienten widersprechen [www.rtl.de]
Versicherte spenden ab Oktober Daten - Wöchentlich [wochentlich.de]
Eingangspost im Krankenhaus effizient bearbeiten [www.itiko.de]
ePA nach ein Jahr: Nur 23,6% nutzen digitale Akte, 162 Störungen 2025 [borncity.com]
Post soll Patientendossier zu Cara überführen [www.inside-it.ch]