title: The emergency data set for the German Electronic Health Card--which benefits can be expected?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In order to improve access to pre-existing patient information in case of emergency, the German Electronic Health Card (EHC) is supposed to hold emergency data. As a basis, the German Medical Association developed an emergency data set, which provides the possibility to store information on prior diagnoses, medications, allergies and other emergency-relevant information.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  One main objective of the study is to evaluate the usefulness of the emergency data in specific emergency situations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Within a two-phase exploratory study, a total of 64 paper-based emergency data sets were completed by primary care physicians, and then were evaluated by clinicians, emergency physicians, and paramedics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clinicians, emergency physicians as well as paramedics rated the emergency data set in more than 70% of the reviewed cases as very useful or useful. The greatest benefit was attributed to the information on diagnoses and medication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The implementation of an emergency data on the EHC has the potential to improve safety, quality and efficiency of emergency care.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Muenster, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Born
authors.affiliation: German Medical Association, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Albert
authors.affiliation: German Medical Association, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Butz
authors.affiliation: IGES Institute, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Loos
authors.affiliation: German Medical Association, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schenkel
authors.affiliation: IGES Institute, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gipp
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Muenster, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Juhra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D066264:Datasets as Topic; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004634:Emergency Medical Technicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D055991:Health Records, Personal; D000069098:Health Smart Cards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D062527:Meaningful Use / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult