HAMBURG: After suffering from years of delays, the German E-Gesundheitskarte project (electronic patient card) now looks like it will get moving again.
The coalition parties have increased pressure on the German health insurers to introduce the new e-health card.
According to a new legislation, all health insurers that have not issued an e-health card to at least 10 percent of its customers by the end of 2011 will have to pay a penalty.
Initially, the card was intended to be launched in 2006.
The electronic patient card is intended to be extended to a health card to provide the core medical data in emergency situations as well as to allow for secure doctor to doctor communication.
Source: www.rp-online.de
