The ‘AOK Ident’ app: Secure access to digital health services for AOK policyholders

What is the ‘AOK Ident’ app?

The ‘AOK Ident’ app is the digital identification app for the healthcare sector, designed for AOK policyholders. It allows you to create and manage your personal HealthID – your digital identity, which you use to authenticate yourself on healthcare platforms such as ‘Meine AOK’ or the electronic patient record (ePA – known as ‘AOK Mein Leben’ in the app).

Put simply: the Health ID is your digital ID. And the ‘AOK Ident’ app is the application where this ID is stored and which you use to access it. You’ll need a smartphone to do this.

How do I set up the ‘AOK Ident’ app?

To use “Meine AOK” in future, download the “AOK Ident” app from the App Store or Google Play Store when prompted. Once you’ve opened the app, you’ll be guided through the registration process. You’ll need your electronic health card (eGK) and your email address. Once you’ve completed the registration, you’ll be asked to verify your identity:

What’s changing: The ‘AOK Ident’ app is becoming a standalone app

Until now, the ‘AOK Ident’ app has been closely linked to the ‘AOK Mein Leben’ app for managing the ePA. This is about to change: the Ident app is becoming independent. You will then also be able to register or log in to ‘Meine AOK’ using the ‘AOK Ident’ app.

Important to note: In future, when you log in to the ‘Meine AOK’ app, your access authorisation will be verified in the background via the ‘AOK Ident’ app. When logging in online at meine.aok.de, you will be prompted to scan a QR code, which will then redirect you to the ‘AOK Ident’ app for access verification. The ‘AOK Ident’ app thus becomes the central access key for your digital AOK services. On modern smartphones, you can also quickly and conveniently authorise the app using Face ID or your fingerprint. This requires that your biometric data has been recorded and activated on your smartphone.

What are the benefits of the ‘AOK Ident’ app?

With just one app, you can manage your access to multiple healthcare services – instead of having to remember different login details. Using your personal Health ID, which is stored in the ‘AOK Ident’ app, you’ll be able to access further digital healthcare applications in future. In future, you’ll also be able to use your Health ID as proof of insurance – as an alternative to the electronic health card – for example, at your GP’s surgery.

How do I create and use the Health ID?

You can create and manage your Health ID directly in the ‘AOK Ident’ app – once you’ve completed the one-off identification process (see info box above), it’s ready to use straight away. Use of the app is, of course, voluntary, but for security reasons it is required in order to use ‘Meine AOK’ and the ‘AOK Mein Leben’ app.

The ‘AOK Ident’ app itself is further protected: every time you use the app, you must authenticate yourself, for example via fingerprint, Face ID or password. At regular intervals, you’ll need to re-confirm your identity using the methods mentioned above. This standard ensures that only you can use your Health ID.

How is my data protected?

The security of your data is a top priority. To prevent unauthorised access to your sensitive data, we use what is known as two-factor authentication (2FA for short). This means that, instead of simply logging in with a password, you need a second form of verification to prove that you really are who you say you are. With the “AOK Ident” app, this involves having your smartphone with the app installed and providing personal authorisation – for example, via fingerprint, Face ID or a password. A stolen password alone is therefore of no use to criminals.

Your data is stored in encrypted form in a data centre in Germany and processed in accordance with European data protection regulations.