Digital future of the healthcare sector: Breakthrough for the cloud with the Digital Act

The healthcare sector has long been cautious about adopting cloud services. However, recent developments, particularly the new Digital Act (DigiG) introduced by the Federal Ministry of Health, are bringing much-needed clarity and opening new possibilities for secure digitalisation in healthcare.

Digitalisation for relief

Digitalisation in healthcare offers an opportunity to alleviate pressure caused by staffing shortages. Digital solutions aim to simplify daily operations for medical professionals and patients alike. The new Digital Act provides the appropriate framework to enable this transformation.

Security through guidelines

Clear guidelines and standards, established by the DigiG and the use of the C5 catalogue of criteria from the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), explicitly permit the processing of sensitive health data in the cloud. This enables hospitals and clinics to benefit from the numerous advantages of cloud usage without compromising data security.

Additionally, it is explicitly stipulated that data must only be processed in European clouds. Data may leave the EU only if an equivalent level of protection compliant with the GDPR is guaranteed.

Benefits of the cloud

Cloud services offer high security standards and protect against local disruptions caused by natural disasters or other unforeseen events. With backup and recovery solutions, they help minimise data loss and allow medical practices and hospitals to quickly resume operations in case of disruptions. Access to patient data can be restored more rapidly, enhancing efficiency and flexibility in healthcare while strengthening resilience and security in Germany and Europe in the long term.

Overall, the DigiG is a significant step towards unified regulations for secure digitalisation in healthcare. It provides clear guidelines and standards that not only encourage the use of cloud services but also build public trust in the safety and protection of sensitive health data.

Conclusion

Now is the time to fully harness the potential of cloud usage in healthcare while ensuring that data protection and security remain top priorities. The DigiG and the implementation of the C5 standards provide a robust foundation, marking a crucial milestone on the path to modern, secure healthcare in Germany and Europe.

Learn more about how secure data exchange in the cloud works from our experts. Book your initial consultation today.