It's the little things: electronic medical cards

Since 1 January 2015, Germans must show up at surgeries and hospitals with a "Health Card", a smart card, in order to receive treatment.

Like any other large project, this one has been in the works for a few years. The document by the Smart Card Alliance here is from 2006 and announces introduction of the card for 2009.

Right now, the card contains an "ID" set of data, but expansion to an "electronic medical record" is in progress, with patient participation fully voluntary.

Fully voluntary is, of course, a legal concept, meaning the first set of data that went from fully voluntary to fully mandatory is prescription information.
Obviously, this does not change the fact that patient participation is fully voluntary.

Security of data and patient doctor confidentiality were a primary design consideration of the system, bringing us such grand statements as "the system is far more secure than online banking".

Are you smiling yet?

We are willing to bet on creative use of the system by others than the Germans. Any such use will certainly be for the benefit of patients.

Wouldn't you appreciate it if you showed up at a Chinese airport one day to be greeted with "Mr. Meyer, welcome. The government would like to inform you that we are currently out of <name of HIV drug> but here is a complimentary bottle of drug <XYZ> for the duration of your stay."

Much closer to home, if you show up at your doctor without the card to get a script renewed, they will send you away unless it is a life and death emergency.

This behavior is illegal, explained the friendly specialist at the health insurance provider. Without losing the smile: But there is nothing you can do about it.

This statement is true for average people like us, but there is a way out: If not taking medication for a chronic condition won't send you to the ER in an ambulance, there is one way left to get the renewal. Tell the receptionist you would like to go private.

You will receive the script in no time, you'll have to pay the full price at the pharmacy.
Come to think about it, maybe Germans should start saving money for private medical treatment in the future.

Or learn Chinese, so you can thank the immigration officer in Chinese for the superb treatment of visitors.