Improving the digital health literacy of service providers and insured persons through training on electronic patient records (ePA)

Project management

Prof. Dr. Marie-Luise Dierks
Dr. Gabriele Seidel

Duration

05/2023-05/2024

Project sponsor/cooperation partner

AOK Lower Saxony

Research assistants

Antje Meyer
Lydia Schrader

Since January 1, 2021, personal health documents, such as the vaccination record or the dental bonus booklet, which were previously available in paper form, can be combined in the electronic patient file (ePA). The ePA is provided by the health insurance companies for people with statutory health insurance together with an app. Patients can use this app to fill their ePA with documents, physician's letters, findings, etc. This avoids duplicate examinations. This means that duplicate examinations can be avoided, the diagnosis can be made more accurately thanks to the improved flow of information and patients always have their documents in view. The introduction of the electronic patient file (ePA) has been rather slow in Germany so far; organizational and political framework conditions have slowed down the process.

Activities are required at various levels so that insured persons can make greater use of the electronic patient record and healthcare professionals can provide adequate information about it and answer questions from insured persons on how to use the digital application. Central multipliers in the introduction and education of the ePA are physicians and medical assistants (MFA) in GP practices.

Together with the AOK Lower Saxony, the concept of a training course for physicians/medical assistants and insured persons to educate and inform them about the electronic patient file is being developed and tested. The accompanying evaluation serves to adapt the content to the needs of the target groups.

The results can serve as a basis for the concept of a nationwide roll-out and multiplier training. The study will run for a total of one year (05/2023 to 05/2024).