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What Should Doctors Do When Their Card Terminal Stops Connecting to Practice Software?
A new firmware update for Rise connectors is causing big trouble in doctors’ offices and pharmacies across Germany. Version 5.6.2 installs on its own and then card readers stop working with practice software. Many doctors could not read health cards or write sick notes last week.
What Is a Rise Connector
The Rise connector links medical offices to Germany’s secure health network called TI (telematics infrastructure). Rise stands for Research Industrial Systems Engineering. This small box acts like a special router that lets doctors and pharmacies safely connect to patient data systems.
The Problem with Version 5.6.2
The update rolled out early on November 19, 2025. It switches the security system from old RSA2048 codes to newer ECC codes. Germany must make this switch by January 1, 2026 because rules from the Federal Office for Information Security say so.
But here’s the catch: card readers need their own updates first. When the connector updates but the card reader doesn’t, they can’t talk to each other anymore. The software then loses the card reader completely.
Which Card Readers Need Updates
Three types of card terminals must have new firmware before the connector updates:
- Cherry ST1506 needs version 4.0.47
- Worldline Orga 6100 needs version 3.9.2
- JDM needs version 1.1.20
Cherry G87-1505 keyboards with version 3.3.3 need special Rise settings turned on.
What Stops Working
When card readers disconnect, doctors and pharmacists lose key functions:
- Reading patient health cards
- Writing electronic sick leave notes
- Creating digital prescriptions
Why This Happened
The connector can actually see which firmware version each card reader has. The update should have checked this first and warned people. Instead, it just installed anyway and cut off older card readers.
Support phone lines got flooded with calls from panicked medical offices. Many practices had no idea this was coming.
Bigger Concerns About the January Deadline
The whole switch to ECC encryption looks rushed. Germany needs to replace 13,000 old connectors plus thousands of security cards by year’s end. Some experts worry the January 1, 2026 deadline might not be realistic because there aren’t enough replacement parts.
Other countries gave themselves more time – France is waiting until 2030. Medical groups in Germany asked for an extension too, but rules from European regulations leave no wiggle room.
One warning mentions people who switched to ECC on Secunet connectors without reading instructions from Telekom broke their KIM client systems. The lesson: read all technical guidance before making changes.