The Electronic Patient Record, or ePA, is a digital collection of health data. It is intended to help patients and doctors. The ePA contains important information such as treatments and medications. Artificial intelligence (AI) could use this data. AI systems could speed up diagnoses or improve therapies. In Germany, however, this idea is progressing slowly.
The slow pace of the ePA is a major problem. It hinders new ideas and developments. If the ePA does not function well, AI systems cannot demonstrate their benefits. For patients, this means longer waiting times for diagnoses. Companies can hardly develop new business models. These models would be based on intelligent health data. Germany is thus losing its connection to digital medicine.
At the parliamentary evening of the e-prescription enthusiasts, it became clear: the ePA is progressing slowly. Representatives from politics and Gematik spoke about the slow expansion. Gematik is the operator of the ePA. The potential for AI applications is very large. But there is a lack of speed and unity. Many digital health opportunities remain unused. Other countries are already further ahead here.
For you as a private individual, the slow ePA expansion means missed opportunities. Imagine an AI could quickly check your patient data. It could alert doctors to potential risks before it's too late. Or it could help you find the best specialist. Without a functioning ePA, these benefits remain just a wish. Your health data remains scattered and unused.
Companies, especially new firms in the healthcare sector, face great difficulties. Anyone who wants to develop new AI solutions finds hardly any basis in Germany. These solutions would be based on patient data. This slows down the development of new diagnostic tools. Personalized therapies or better administrative software also develop more slowly. Other countries have better digital infrastructure. They are pulling ahead and securing a lead in the market for AI in healthcare.
Despite the difficulties, a fully functional ePA offers great opportunities. It could significantly improve the quality of treatment. Doctors would get a quick overview of the entire medical history. AI could recognize patterns in the data that a human cannot see. This saves time and money. In an emergency, it can even save lives. For developers, a market for special AI assistants and analysis tools emerges.
