Digitalisation is also becoming increasingly prevalent in our health care system. The eGK of each of the 70 million people with statutory health insurance will deliver some new functions. The main objective: essential patient information or medication regimens are permanently and readily available in case of emergencies. Processing this highly sensitive data requires a secure IT infrastructure, known as the telematics infrastructure, to ensure data is transferred securely and unauthorised access is prevented.

All health data including current blood counts, previous illnesses, allergies and medications or the specialist's most recent examination report can be accessed from anywhere in the world using the ePA via an app. Since 1 January 2021, the ePA has been available on a voluntary basis. It is provided free of charge by the health insurers in order to further digitise the health care system. Patient data is among the most sensitive, which is why every patient must make a conscious decision on the information to include in the app or chip of the card.

In addition to the three key security objectives (confidentiality, authenticity and integrity), cryptographic procedures are used to uniquely identify users and provide protection against forgery. This principle ensures that only authorised persons have access to the data, that it is protected against modification and falsification and that its origin cannot be disputed.

Consequently, only devices certified by the BSI are used when integrating devices into the telematics infrastructure, such as the card reader required or the eGK itself (mark on the lower right corner of the card).