The electronic patient record is a platform, not a compliance exercise

What is happening. In the USA, ONC and CMS have step by step mandated standardized interfaces based on FHIR. Around these access points a market of new applications has emerged. Germany is now rolling out its electronic patient record at scale.

What it means for Germany. The value of the record depends on what insurers, practices, hospitals and vendors concretely improve with the data and interfaces. Interoperability is therefore not a compliance task but a product decision.

What to do now. Vendors and payers should prioritize two or three applications, define the benefit for patients and providers, and clarify which data access is actually permitted and technically available.