In December 2015, Germany passed the Act on Safe Digital Communication and Applications in the Healthcare Sector (the "Act"). Among other things, the Act provides a roadmap for the implementation of a digital infrastructure and expanded applications of the so-called "Gesundheitskarte." The Gesundheitskarte is a chip card issued to each insured person in Germany that carries the individual's health data so that doctors and other authorized persons can access the data in connection with the treatment of the individual. The Act provides for a number of new applications of the card such as emergency data availability, medication plans, an electronic patient file, and an interface for private service providers.
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