SCM reader approved for German health ID program
26 September, 2008
category: Government, Health
SCM Microsystems Inc. announced that its eHealth200 BCS terminal has been approved by the Gematik – the German health care organization overseeing the implementation of Germany’s eHealth card program.
Starting in October, SCM’s eHealth terminals will be available in significant volumes for general practitioners, pharmacists, hospitals and other health care providers for the start of the rollout of the electronic health card, a program that is expected to include up to 82 million German citizens.
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 with 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.
