SCM Microsystems ehealth terminal approved for German ehealth
card program
29 September 2008
SCM Microsystems, Inc. has announced that its ehealth200 BCS terminal
has been approved by the gematik, the German healthcare organization
overseeing the implementation of Germany's ehealth card program.
The terminal has received a release certificate of the German Federal
Office for Information Security BSI (Bundesamt fur Sicherheit in der
Informationstechnologie) and the confirmation of required electrical and
physical product features by the TUViT (TUV Informationstechnik GmbH), a
German inspection agency for IT Products and Services.
Beginning in October, SCM's eHealth terminals will be available in
significant volumes for general practitioners, pharmacists, hospitals
and other healthcare providers, in time for the start of the rollout of
the electronic health card, a program that is expected to include up to
82 million German citizens.
"SCM Microsystems continues to demonstrate technology leadership in
developing secure terminals for the electronic health card program in
Germany. We have continued to partner closely with gematik and the
healthcare industry to develop and refine terminal specifications,
ensuring that relevant medical data can be rapidly accessed while
sensitive patient records are protected. Our eHealth200 BCS terminal is
a device that also protects the investment of healthcare providers, as
it addresses both current and future program requirements," said Dietmar
Wendling, vice president eGovernment of SCM Microsystems.
The eHealth200 BCS terminal is an advanced version of SCM's
eHealth100 terminal, which has been in wide use in field trials since
2006. It adheres to the 'eHealth BCS' specifications of the gematik,
which stipulate that the terminals must comply to the strict security
requirements of the BSI.
Not only must the devices work in the initial, offline environment
within each healthcare facility, but they also must be firmware
upgradable to operate within the planned 'telematiks' structure that
will eventually link all healthcare providers in Germany within a common
network.
This is a critical component of Germany's electronic health card
program, as additional and extended applications will be disseminated to
healthcare providers through the tekematiks network. SCM's eHealth200
BCS terminal can be used throughout all stages of implementation of the
electronic health card in Germany, as the program evolves and changes.
In addition to the health insurance card (KVK) currently used in
Germany, the eHealth200 BCS also reads the soon-to-be-deployed
electronic health card.
The terminal also works with the health professional card (HPC),
which allows every professional in the healthcare sector to securely
access and edit patient data; and the Secure Module Card (SMC) in ID-000
format for secure data communication.
Based on the agreement of German health insurance companies and the
National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, purchases
of the terminals will be subsidized for approved general practitioners
and care providers.