A variety of digital options are available to help you take good care of your health in Germany and all are just a few clicks away. Find out everything you need to know about the most important digital solutions in the German healthcare system from the expert team at Siemens-Betriebskrankenkasse (SBK).
Find out what advantages SBK offers specifically for expats
Health apps, video consultations and online health classes - the digitisation of the German healthcare system has really taken off in recent years. Many services and benefits are covered by statutory health insurers such as SBK, helping you to stay healthy while also saving time and money.
Some of the most important digital healthcare solutions available in Germany include:
Allowing you to temporarily turn your living room into a doctor’s consulting room, many doctors’ surgeries now offer digital consultations. This allows you to speak to a healthcare professional from the comfort of your own home.
You can also ask your doctor’s surgery to prescribe your medication digitally. With the e-prescription loaded on your smartphone, you can then simply collect it from your nearest pharmacy, saving time and paper.
If you are unable to work due to illness, you will need a sick note from your doctor. The electronic certificate of incapacity for work certificate (eAU) is transmitted digitally by your doctor’s surgery to your health insurer. For you, this means that you don’t need to submit any documents to your employer or to your health insurance provider, allowing you to concentrate fully on your health.
Relaxation, support with mental health or advice during pregnancy - a growing number of apps help contribute to a healthier lifestyle. If they are certified, there are many paid apps that can be covered by statutory health insurance.
SBK is fully committed to digitisation - and there are further great digital benefits for the insured. Not only are digital solutions convenient and efficient, but they are also sustainable because they save valuable resources - for instance, using paper for printed certificates. In this way, SBK and their insured clients make a significant contribution to protecting the climate.
SBK digital solutions also offer a number of advantages to expats living in Germany:
With SBK, you can rely on personal advice right from the beginning - and, if you so wish, also always in English. That makes lots of things easier for you. Your personal consultant from the English-speaking team will always be there to answer all your questions and address your concerns. Especially practical is the option to obtain advice via video chat. It's just as personal, but even easier.
With the digital SBK health record (ePA), you have a complete overview of your health. Whether lab results, vaccination status or important diagnoses, all of your important information is saved here, of course with absolute data security. You can keep an eye on your health data and share it with your medical team if you wish.
Use your online self-service branch of SBK for all issues regarding your health. You can upload documents, make applications, and even view your post - all digitally, easily, and from anywhere. Meine SBK is available as an app or online via your browser.
SBK has been advising expats from all over the world for many years. The expert team knows what is important right from the start. Choosing the right health insurance is something that concerns all expats.
When it comes to health insurance, expats in Germany have two choices: public (statutory) or private insurance. Whether you are eligible for statutory health insurance depends on a number of different factors.
One of the easiest ways of checking out your options is the free expat health insurance tool, created by Siemens-Betriebskrankenkasse. You can use the tool to:
If you have any questions about health insurance in Germany or about Siemens-Betriebskrankenkasse, get in touch for more information.