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Healthcare as a driver of digitalization in Germany
Federal Minister of Health Prof. Dr. Karl Lauterbach
He considers the electronic patient file (ePa) in particular to be a success story. As the largest digitization project in Germany, it will also provide impetus for other areas.
After being welcomed by Dr Mario Tobias, Managing Director of Messe Berlin, and Matthias Meierhofer, Chairman of the Board of the bvitg, Karl Lauterbach spoke about the major challenges of our time: in addition to the fight against climate change and the associated switch to renewable energies, demographic change and the associated shortage of skilled workers as well as international wars and authoritarian tendencies, the Federal Minister of Health also included rapid digitalization and developments in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).
The patron of DMEA sees great opportunities for the healthcare sector in digitalization. Current problems such as a lack of prevention or specialization could be solved through digitalization. AI as a core technology will make medicine better in the future and reduce costs at the same time. He cited accelerated treatment through expert systems as well as voice-based clinical documentation as examples. Laws at European and national level are creating the biosphere for AI.
ePA as a success
Karl Lauterbach considers digital solutions such as the e-prescription, the digital organ donor register and ultimately the ePA to be a success. The ePA is already bringing great benefits for healthcare professionals and patients. It simplifies billing and the creation of medication plans. The clear, chronological documentation of findings or laboratory results will help patients to better understand their illnesses and ultimately increase their autonomy. For simple clinical pictures, telemedical treatment is possible without bureaucracy. This saves costs and frees up capacity. At the same time, research could use the anonymized data to achieve breakthroughs in medicine.
The task now is to bring ePa to the masses. Initially intended as a voluntary service for doctors, it will later become mandatory. Security loopholes have been closed and data security will remain the focus in the future.
In the coalition negotiations with the CDU/CSU, Lauterbach is counting on making progress together on the path to digitalization. This basic conviction will not be compromised, as the industry needs predictability.