The EFN (Uniform Continuing Education Number) is a unique, personal number assigned to every physician in Germany. It enables the automatic transmission of CME points from certified continuing education events to the responsible State Chamber of Physicians via the Electronic Information Distributor (EIV).
Issuance: German Medical Association via State Chambers of Physicians
Format: 15-digit number, often as a barcode on the medical ID card
Purpose: Automatic CME point reporting
What is the EFN number?
The Uniform Continuing Education Number (EFN) is the personal identification number for every physician in Germany – issued once by the State Chamber of Physicians where the individual is registered. It consists of 15 digits and is also printed as a barcode on the medical ID card, which significantly simplifies scanning at continuing education events.
The purpose of the EFN is simple: it links the individual to their personal continuing education account at the State Chamber of Physicians. Anyone attending a CME-certified event can have their points credited automatically – without having to submit individual certificates.
Structure and Administration
- 15 digits, divided into a state code and a personal identifier
- Issuance by the respective State Chamber of Physicians upon registration
- Barcode representation (Code 39 or Code 128) on the medical ID card
- Personal and permanent – remains valid even when moving to a different federal state
- Supplemented by other identifiers such as the LANR (Lifetime Physician Number) for contract physicians
- Central register at the German Medical Association
Role in the CME workflow
- Registration for training: The physician enters their EFN in the registration form – or selects "Do not report points"
- Format check: Congress software validates the number for plausibility
- Attendance documentation: Participation is logged at check-in – ideally by scanning the barcode on the medical ID card
- Point calculation: After the event, points are calculated based on actual attendance and CME certification status
- Transmission to EIV: The German Medical Association's Electronic Information Distributor receives the data record (EFN + points + certification number)
- Forwarding to the State Chamber of Physicians of the respective individual
- Posting to the personal continuing education account
- Feedback to the organizer regarding success or errors
Methods of collection
- Manual entry in the registration mask – works, but is prone to errors
- Barcode scan of the medical ID card at the check-in terminal
- Pre-filling from previous year's data for returning participants
- QR code on the congress badge contains (encrypted) the EFN for session check-ins
- Via the event app by scanning the medical ID card via camera
Data protection and legal basis
The EFN is personal data and is subject to the GDPR:
- Collection only with clear purpose limitation: Reporting CME points
- Voluntary basis: Those who do not want points must not be forced to provide their EFN
- Transfer to the EIV infrastructure is appropriate and lawful
- Storage only as long as necessary – deletion after point reporting is complete
- Data processing agreement with the software provider is required
- In addition to the EFN: Usually also date of birth and address for chamber assignment
Common sources of error
- Typos in the manually entered EFN – points end up with the wrong person or are rejected
- State code confusion when changing State Chambers of Physicians
- Missing barcode reader on-site – manual entry leads to queues
- Foreign physicians without EFN – the system does not apply here; paper certificates are required
- Transmission errors to the EIV during technical glitches – follow-up is tedious
- Duplicates if participants register multiple times
- Delays in EFN activation after new chamber registration
Best practices
- Make the EFN field optional – not all participants want points
- Offer barcode scanning as standard with manual entry as a fallback
- Format validation in the form prevents most typos
- Bulk import of attendance from the check-in system, no manual Excel work
- Define a follow-up process for rejected transmissions
- Communicate clearly when points will appear in the account (typically 4–8 weeks after the event)
- Paper certificates as a supplement for individuals without an EFN or from abroad
- Store the EFN in encrypted form – no one except authorized processors should be able to read it
EFN in Converia
Converia captures the EFN during [CME-certified](cme-zertifizierung.html) registration, validates the format, documents attendance at check-in, and automatically transmits points to the German Medical Association's EIV – no manual list handling required.
CME points automatically to the medical association
With Converia, your attendees' continuing education points go exactly where they belong: to their personal continuing education account at their regional medical association.
- CME Certification – Compliance & Law
- Certificate of Attendance – Communication & Journey
- Check-in (digital) – On-site Event Operations
Capture EFNs, document attendance, and transmit points automatically – no manual lists.