The impartial members of the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) generally welcome the goals of the planned Act for Data and Digital Innovation in Health Care (GeDIG), but call for improvements in several places. In their statement of 18 May 2026, they criticise in particular an insufficient link of new data-based instruments with the quality-assured early detection and care programmes of the G-BA.

The impartial members support the further digitization of the electronic patient record (ePA), the strengthening of the telematics infrastructure and the implementation of the European Health Data Space (EHDS). They expressly welcome the inclusion of cardiovascular diseases and corresponding risks in the data-based risk identification by health insurance companies in accordance with § 25b SGB V.

However, they express criticism of the lack of coordination with existing G-BA guidelines. When providing information to insured persons, the health insurance funds should refer more strongly to the quality-assured early detection examinations according to §§ 25, 25a and 26 SGB V in order to avoid fragmentation of prevention. The impartial members propose that the G-BA in future define content parameters for data-based risk identification and decide on information tailored to the target group for the insured.

In the case of the electronic patient record, they are calling for an explicit inclusion of organized early detection examinations so that data such as mammography findings or contradictions can be better integrated in the future.

With regard to the planned digital needs assessment in accordance with Section 360b (new), the impartial members are in favour of transferring the regulatory mandate to the G-BA. This is the only way to ensure consistency in content with the parallel regulations for integrated emergency centres (§ 123c SGB V).

In the case of the Research Data Centre for Health (FDZ), they welcome the possibility of using data for quality assurance purposes in relation to service providers, but see considerable practical restrictions due to time delays and different pseudonymisation procedures. They call for simplifications and direct use of FDZ data for quality assurance purposes without a time-consuming application procedure.

Other proposals concern pseudonymised data processing for all early detection examinations, exemption from fees for the G-BA and IQTIG when using the RDZ, and the integration of quality-assurance-related data processing into the telematics infrastructure.

Overall, the impartial members of the G-BA emphasise that the digitalisation of the healthcare system must not lead to a weakening of evidence-based and quality-assured care structures. The statement is to be incorporated into the further legislative process.

Editor: X-Press Journalistenbüro GbR

Gender Notice. The personal designations used in this text always refer equally to female, male and diverse persons. Double/triple naming and gendered designations are used for better readability ected.