After years of preparation, Germany launched the eHealth card in October 2011. According to the Federal Ministry of Health, approximately 50 million members of Germany's statutory health insurance will have received the new card by the end of 2012. The card's rollout and the establishment of a telematic infrastructure constitute the largest IT project in Europe. The eHealth card will provide access to patients' medical data, including medications and health records, enable paperless prescriptions and referrals, as well as store patients' emergency information. In contrast to the former German insurance card, the new eHealth card includes the patient's photo and gender. This additional information will help prevent identity mix-ups as well as the abuse of medical services and benefits. Due to the complex nature of the eHealth card implementation, applications have been introduced on a step-by-step basis. In the future, the back of the card will also serve as a "European health insurance card" and allow health care access across Europe. For more information on Germany's eHealth card, visit the website of the Federal Ministry of Health.
