eGK problems claims Drees scalp
The technical managing director in charge of Germany’s electronic health record (EHR), Dirk Drees, has not had his contract renewed due to continuing difficulties in implementing the programme – Europe’s largest. Drees will leave Gematik, the company in charge of Germany eGK programme, when his contract expires at the end of 2008.
There is speculation in Germany that the Federal Health Ministry has lobbied hard for Drees’s replacement, and is keen to see a new person installed in the key technology post as soon as possible. Drees could be shifted sideways into a more corporate role within Gematik.
Drees is the second scalp claimed by the eGK programme within gematik: former CEO Harald Flex left the company in 2006.
The announcement comes as both the Federal Ministry of Health and Gematik give very different assessments of the health of the eGK programme at the recent Berlin Euroforum Gesundsheitskarte conference. According to the ministry, the programme is fully “on schedule”. Speaking at the conference, Drees was far more cautious, and warned of “constant possible delays” in future progress.
