German Occupational Doctors to Access Digital Health Records Without Patient Consent in Privacy Shift
Published on 07/01/2026 at 11:11 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
Privacy advocates are raising alarms over a new German government proposal that would allow roughly 9,000 occupational physicians to view patients’ electronic health records without their explicit permission. The change, embedded in the Gesetz zur Digitalisierung im Gesundheitswesen (GeDIG) — the Health Digitisation Act — is scheduled for cabinet approval in mid-July after its initial release in early May.
Under the current system, occupational doctors operate on an opt-in basis: workers must explicitly consent before their records can be viewed. The reform reverses that to an opt-out model, meaning patients will have to actively object to block access. The German Society for Occupational and Environmental Medicine (DGAUM) and the Association of German Occupational and Personal Physicians (VDBW) have long pushed for equal treatment with other specialists. During a stakeholder hearing on 18 May, both organisations also called for expanded access to occupational health prevention data and an extension of the access window to 90 days.
The German Psychological Association (BDP) warns that sensitive health data could leak into the workplace environment without sufficient oversight. DGAUM counters that occupational doctors are bound by medical confidentiality and that on?site care remains the primary standard. Patients will still be able to control or block access individually through the ePA app, but the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv) criticises what it sees as inadequate public education about the technical and legal changes.
Technical Upgrade Overhauls App Compatibility
Alongside the legislative shift, the electronic patient record (ePA) system is moving to a more advanced encryption method, Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC), in July. The new standard sharply raises system requirements. Major health insurers — including AOK, Techniker Krankenkasse, Barmer, and Knappschaft — have announced that from July the ePA app will only run on smartphones with Android 14 or iOS 18 and above.
For patients with older devices or no smartphone, an alternative route opens on 1 July: pharmacies nationwide can begin offering assisted telemedicine services. This includes supporting video consultations and providing structured initial assessments — provided the pharmacy has a dedicated consultation room.
Adjustments to Fees and Certificates
Several other changes take effect on 1 July:
- Healthcare professional IDs: The deadline to replace old eHBA cards with RSA certificates expired on 30 June. From July, only cards carrying ECC certificates are permitted to access the telematics infrastructure.
- Reimbursement codes: The Uniform Fee Schedule (EBM) introduces a new care flat fee. Practices can now bill for liposuction in certain stages of lipoedema and for new Alzheimer’s medications.
- Pharmacy remuneration: The fixed fee per prescription rises to €9 on 1 July, with a second step to €9.50 scheduled for early 2027.
The technical modernisation of the ePA is already underway, while the political decision on expanded access rights for occupational doctors remains a central debate until the cabinet session in mid?July. The core question: medical efficiency versus individual data protection.
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