What is the ePA (electronic patient record)?
Since April 29, 2025 at the latest, everyone with statutory health insurance in Germany automatically receives an ePA, unless they objected (opt-out) when it was set up. But what it is and what purpose it serves is still unclear to many.
Until now, in the best case the family doctor collected all of a patients medical reports. That meant they referred the patient to specialists when needed and received the findings from the exams carried out there. The same applied to hospital reports. In some cases patients were given the reports directly with the instruction to hand them in to their GP; often the reports were sent directly. This resulted in a more or less complete collection in the patient file kept by the GP.
Among other things, the electronic patient record is intended to fix that. The ePA enables the secure storage and sharing of important health data like reports, diagnoses, doctors letters, medication data, lab results, possibly nursing information, electronic sick notes (eAU), DMP data, advance directives, organ donor registrations, etc. These are available at any time in the free app or on the health insurance card. In addition, an emergency data set (NFD) can be stored in the ePA, recording all information relevant in an emergency such as diagnoses, allergies, the current medication list, pregnancy, and so on. You can also note the person to be contacted in an emergency.
The ePA is a record managed by the patient. The Federal Ministry of Healths ePA for everyone concept is seen as a core element of digitalization. Since January 2025 the ePA has been rolled out via an opt-out procedure, meaning insured persons can object if they do not want an ePA. Previously existing ePAs that were requested by insured persons through an opt-in procedure were updated to the new version. Features will also be made available only gradually. At the start, the ePA will be introduced as a so-called basic record, with its range of uses expanding over time.
The free app provided by the health insurers can be downloaded by the patient onto a smartphone or tablet and used there. Alternatively, the ePA is also available on the health insurance card.
The free app provided by the health insurers can be downloaded by the patient onto a smartphone or tablet and used there. Alternatively, the ePA is also available on the health insurance card.
Patients can use the ePA app to decide which content is stored and who gets access. They retain control over their data and set access rights. An objection to the ePA (opt-out) is possible at any time, even after the ePA has been set up.
They can also decide which documents should be deleted again or from whom access to the data should be revoked. In the long term, findings and other records should be archived here for a persons entire life. So there should only be one ePA per patient.
However, even without actively using the app, providers can technically access the data if the electronic health card is read.
However, even without actively using the app, providers can technically access the data if the electronic health card is read.
Specifically, storing the emergency data set (NFD) on the health card is an important improvement over previous practice. In an emergency it saves time searching around and gives rescue personnel immediate access to important information about the patients medical history and current medication.
Since October 2025, the use of the ePA is mandatory for doctors and other healthcare providers to fill certain data, provided no objection has been made.
Besides physicians, providers also include therapists, pharmacies and other people or institutions involved in treatment. Data are not transferred automatically here either; the desired files must be deliberately copied onto the health card or into the ePA available there. The originals remain with the respective doctor, therapist, etc., as before.
In general, only those who have been authorized by the patient have access to the ePA.
Neither the operators of the ePA nor the health insurer can access the collected data. One special case is the NFD: in an emergency, doctors, rescue personnel and other people who have an electronic professional ID card can access it even without the patients consent (the patient may no longer be able to give consent in an emergency). Every access is recorded on the health card and can therefore be traced afterwards.
Data protection is taken very seriously: the servers for the ePA are located in Germany. The ePA is therefore subject to European data protection regulations. Providers must also go through extensive certification processes before they can offer the ePA.
Nevertheless, data protection and data security remain central topics of discussion, since some citizens still have concerns.
What should be stored in the electronic patient record (ePA)?
As mentioned above, the ePA should ideally accompany us for life. Starting with the U-examinations for children and adolescents, vaccinations, allergies and blood type you can also store the maternity record, the dental bonus booklet and, of course, all other findings. But services claimed from the health insurer, data from health apps as well as nursing care information, even the electronic sick note and e-prescriptions to document medication history, should also be included in the ePA. For example, you can upload your PDF report from BloodPressureDB into your ePA.
Overall, the electronic patient record (ePA) is a very useful innovation. However, it also requires the patient to act as a partner in their own medical care. After all, the best record is useless if it isnt maintained. It is therefore the patients responsibility to keep it up to date and, if necessary, to give the treating doctor access to the records that are relevant to them.
Data protection for the ePA is repeatedly discussed. Sensitive data are being stored that should not fall into the wrong hands. To make the ePA secure, as mentioned above, everything possible is being done.
Sources:
This article comes from BloodPressureDB – the leading app since 2011 that helps hundreds of thousands of people monitor their blood pressure every day.
Our content is based on carefully researched, evidence-based information and is continuously updated (as of 02/2025).
Author Sabine Croci is a certified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as in outpatient care. Since 2015 she has led the editorial team at BloodPressureDB. With additional qualifications as a paramedic, first responder, and training in various therapy and emergency areas, she provides well-founded, practical, and reliably reviewed information.
Author Sabine Croci is a certified medical assistant with many years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology practices as well as in outpatient care. Since 2015 she has led the editorial team at BloodPressureDB. With additional qualifications as a paramedic, first responder, and training in various therapy and emergency areas, she provides well-founded, practical, and reliably reviewed information.
