Chatting via TI

BARMER is one of Germany’s largest statutory health insurers and consistently focuses on digital innovation. In collaboration with T-Systems and Telekom MMS, the TI Messenger was developed and integrated into BARMER’s ePA app (BARMER eCare). This provides healthcare providers, employees, and insured persons with a secure, efficient, and user-friendly communication channel that meets all regulatory requirements.

• Fast, secure communication between all healthcare stakeholders
• Highest standards for data protection and information security
• Seamless integration into existing apps and workflows

Due to legal requirements, all health insurers are obliged to provide a secure solution for the digital transmission of messages with insured persons and healthcare providers. Until now, communication between statutory health insurers and healthcare providers via the telematics infrastructure (TI) was only possible by email through “Communication in Medicine” (KIM) — a channel that is not suitable for fast exchanges in everyday medical practice with insured persons.

The goal was therefore to create a secure, data-protection-compliant, and at the same time uncomplicated way to enable cross-sector communication. The new solution needed to integrate seamlessly into existing systems and meet high requirements for data protection, information security, interoperability, and user-friendliness.

Against this backdrop, a TI Messenger was developed that offers specialized clients both for employees and healthcare providers (TI-M Pro) and for insured persons (TI-M ePA).

Interoperable messenger for cross-sector exchange
Together, BARMER, Telekom MMS, and T-Systems developed a TI Messenger service for the healthcare sector based on the interoperable Matrix protocol.

After analyzing the requirements, tailored clients were created for employees (TI-M Pro) and insured persons (TI-M ePA), along with the corresponding specialized service. Individual UI/UX elements were also designed to ensure a consistent appearance in the BARMER CI/CD.

The TI Messenger was integrated into BARMER’s eCare app, the application for the electronic patient record, and is therefore available to all BARMER insured persons. The solution was implemented as an “as a service” model to ensure maximum flexibility and future viability.

In addition to text messages, the application supports the exchange of documents and images. It is designed to be accessible and offers comprehensive security mechanisms such as end-to-end encryption and two-factor authentication.

For quality assurance, Telekom MMS carried out extensive manual and automated tests, including functional, integration, interoperability, load and performance tests, as well as security tests in accordance with BSI requirements. Accessibility tests in line with BITV standards ensure accessible use for people with disabilities. Additional usability tests verified user-friendliness and acceptance.

Thanks to compliance with all regulatory requirements, the TI Messenger received certification from gematik, which is responsible for the telematics infrastructure (TI) in Germany.

The TI Messenger enables secure, efficient, and intuitive chat communication between all stakeholders in the healthcare sector.

The solution accelerates processes, reduces media discontinuities, and improves collaboration. Cross-sector communication facilitates coordination between healthcare providers, for example when requesting findings or medication plans. An integrated nationwide address book simplifies making contact, while group chats promote cooperation in medical practices and hospitals.

Tests formed the basis for a robust, secure, and practical solution that meets gematik’s highest data protection and security requirements while sustainably improving digital communication in healthcare.

All parties benefit from a modern, future-ready platform that sets new standards and can be continuously expanded. In this way, the TI Messenger provides significant support for BARMER’s positioning as a pioneer of digital transformation in healthcare.

BARMER is one of Germany’s largest statutory health insurers and is headquartered in Berlin. It serves 8.3 million insured persons and employs 13,670 people.