The electronic patient record (elektronische Patientenakte, ePA) is a record that you manage yourself and in which findings, diagnoses and therapies can be collected. The German Social Code Book V describes which content it may contain and since when health insurers must provide it. This guide summarises what can be in the ePA, how the right to object works and which deadlines apply.
Short answer: The ePA can contain findings, diagnoses, therapies, medical letters, the medication plan, emergency data, vaccination records and notes on advance directives or organ donation declarations. Under section 342 of Book V of the Social Code, the opt-out rule has applied since 15 January 2025. If you do not object within six weeks of the information, your health insurer provides the record (status of the statutory text, retrieved November 2026).
The most important points at a glance
- The ePA is a voluntary record that you manage yourself. Your health insurer provides it.
- It is meant to make information such as findings and diagnoses available across facilities and specialties.
- The opt-out rule has applied since 15 January 2025. The record is therefore provided unless you object.
- An objection is possible within six weeks of the prior information.
- Details on access rights can be found in the information from your health insurer.
What is the electronic patient record?
Under section 341 of Book V of the Social Code, the ePA is an electronic record managed by the insured person. Health insurers provide it under section 342. Use is voluntary. The record is meant to make findings, diagnoses and planned and completed therapies available for care across facilities, specialties and sectors. In practice, this means that findings should be available across facilities and specialties.
Insured persons from the age of 15 can exercise their rights of access and objection. Different rules apply to younger insured persons, which this guide does not set out in detail.
What can be in the ePA?
Under section 341 subsection 2 of Book V of the Social Code, the record can contain the following content, among other things. The list shows which kind of information is meant. It is not a mandatory list for every record.
| Area | Examples from the law |
|---|---|
| Medical findings | Findings, diagnoses, therapies, treatment reports, electronic medical letters |
| Medication and emergencies | Electronic medication plan, emergency data, short patient record |
| Prevention and vaccinations | Vaccination records, maternity passport, child health examination booklet |
| Personal declarations | Notes on organ donation declarations, advance power of attorney, advance directives |
| Further data | Data from digital health applications, electronic prescriptions, sick notes |
The difference between what the record can hold and what is actually in it matters. Whether a finding is in your record depends on whether it was transmitted and whether you have released it. The record does not guarantee completeness.
Since when does the opt-out rule apply?
Until 14 January 2025, the statutory text provided for an opt-in rule. The record was to be provided only on request and with your consent. Since 15 January 2025, the opt-out rule applies. The health insurer must provide the ePA to every insured person who, after prior information under section 343 of Book V of the Social Code, has not objected within six weeks.
Opt-out means you must act if you do not want an ePA. You do not have to consent to receive it, but you can object. The guide on objecting to the ePA explains how this works in practice.
Which deadlines apply to an objection?
The period is six weeks. It starts with the prior information under section 343 of Book V of the Social Code. If you object within this time, the health insurer does not provide the record. If you object later, ask your health insurer how this affects a record that has already been set up.
| Point in time | Rule under the statutory text |
|---|---|
| Until 14 January 2025 | Opt-in: provided only on request and with consent |
| From 15 January 2025 | Opt-out: provided unless you object |
| Objection period | Six weeks after the prior information under section 343 |
Who can access the ePA?
For many people, the question of access is the most important one. The statutory text of sections 341 and 342 of Book V of the Social Code governs provision and content, but not access rights in detail. Those details follow from further provisions and from how your health insurer operates the ePA.
For that reason, it is worth reading the information from your health insurer under section 343 of Book V of the Social Code. It contains the details the insurer must give you before the record is provided. Also check which settings the app of your health insurer offers.
What does the ePA mean in everyday life?
In everyday life, the ePA mainly means that information about your treatment can be collected in one place. This can help when you change doctors, because findings do not have to be requested separately. At the same time, it is worth checking the content regularly. Anyone who knows what is in the record can decide better which information to release.
The link with other digital services also matters. The electronic health card and access through the app play a role. More on this is in the guide on the digital health insurance card in an app (in German).
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to have an ePA?
Use is voluntary. The health insurer must provide the record to you, but you can object. If you do not want a record, objecting is the right way. The decision is yours.
What happens if I do not object?
The health insurer then provides the ePA under the opt-out rule. You do not have to give active consent. It is important to know the information under section 343 of Book V of the Social Code, so that you do not miss the deadline.
Can I view the contents of the record?
The ePA is a record that you manage yourself. For that reason, check the viewing options in the app or in the offers of your health insurer. Your insurer will tell you which functions are actually available to you.
Is the ePA the same as the electronic health card?
No. The health card is the proof of identity for access to care. The ePA is the record with health information. The two are technically connected, but they are not the same thing.
Can I remove individual contents from the record?
This depends on the functions your health insurer offers in the ePA. The statutory text names the contents but gives no details on deletion. Ask your health insurer how it handles individual documents.
What you should do now
- Check whether you have received the information under section 343 of Book V of the Social Code from your health insurer.
- Decide whether you want to use the ePA or object, and keep to the six-week deadline.
- If you use the record, set up the app of your health insurer and check the settings.
- Review regularly which contents are in the record and which releases you have given.
Related reading
- Emergency reform 2027: the new rules for emergency departments and out-of-hours care
- Objecting to the ePA: step-by-step instructions
- Redeeming an e-prescription without an app: step by step
- Digital health insurance card in an app: replacement for the plastic card? (in German)
Sources: Section 341 of Book V of the Social Code, electronic patient record, gesetze-im-internet.de, retrieved November 2026 and Section 342 of Book V of the Social Code, entitlement to an electronic patient record, gesetze-im-internet.de, retrieved November 2026.
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
