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Denmark introduced it 20 years ago, Estonia 18 years ago: the electronic health record (EPD). Other countries also rely on digitized healthcare.
In Switzerland, the population has been able to request an electronic patient file since last year. In other words, a patient file with the most important information about health that is accessible anywhere and 24 hours a day via an app or the internet.
But the patient file doesn’t move: so far only 19,500 people have opened one. Most (83 percent) in French-speaking Switzerland. In the Digital Health Index ranking of the German Bertelsmann Foundation, Switzerland ranks fourth from the bottom in Europe.
This article first appeared in the “Observer”. More exciting articles can be found at www.bewachter.ch.
This article first appeared in the “Observer”. More exciting articles can be found at www.bewachter.ch.
That should now change. The electronic patient file must “become a pillar in healthcare”, federal councilor Alain Berset (SP) announced at a press conference at the end of June. He wants to achieve this with two measures.
Bundesrat is investigating possible sanctions
Firstly, in the future the entire treatment chain in healthcare must be obliged to use the patient file. Until now, this only applied to facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes and birth centres. The obligation should now apply to all doctors, pharmacists and physiotherapists.
Although the nursing homes have been required to use the EHR for over a year, many still do not comply with this obligation. The federal government now wants to put an end to this lax implementation practice: sanctions must be possible in the future. This can range from warnings to withdrawing the option to settle with health insurers. In addition, fines of up to CHF 250,000 are threatened.
If you don’t want an EHR, you need to take action
The second major innovation concerns patients: if the consultation on the proposed amendment to the law is accepted, all people living in Switzerland with health insurance will receive an EHR – automatically – free of charge. If you do not want this, you must lodge an objection with your canton within three months. A so-called “opt-out model”. So you can also say no, Berset emphasized.
Susanne Gedamke, general manager of patient organization SPO, supports the opt-out solution: “I think it is right that everyone is obliged to use the EHR.” However, patients should know how to manage and release the content themselves, so that selected specialists can access certain content.
The Consumer Protection Foundation, on the other hand, is critical of the proposal. The solution is not legitimate as long as the existing problems are not resolved, writes “Netzwoche”.
“Not practical in its current form”
There is even more criticism from the medical world. The problem: the doctor cannot transfer the patient data from the practice system directly into the electronic patient record system. This leads to additional work. It was “not feasible in its current form,” the FMH Medical Association said in March.
Gedamke also criticizes the current form of the electronic patient file: “It does not offer a search function, which means that it cannot be read quickly and selectively. It is in fact a pure digitization of the patient file on paper. In addition, it is relatively complicated and unintuitive to open an EHR. Few patients will actually use it in this form.” At the moment it is not attractive. Nevertheless, Gedamke emphasizes: “It is going in the right direction.”
Data security has the highest priority
And what about data protection? “Data security has the highest priority,” said Anne Lévy, head of the BAG. The parent companies that store and manage patient records are required to undergo regular security checks. There is no 100% security, but: “There is no such thing anywhere, even a hospital can be hacked,” says the BAG boss.
The further elaboration of the content and financing of the EPD is taken over by the federal government. The cantons, on the other hand, are responsible for funding the core communities, ie the local EHR providers.
EPD for more efficiency
Federal Councilor Berset said nationwide implementation of the EPD should benefit the entire population. All important medical information is in one place and all medical professionals are always up to date. Duplicate or incorrect treatments can be avoided. “In the spirit of efficiency,” says Berset.
The proposed measures are not yet final. The Bundesrat has sent the legislative amendment for consultation. Medical associations, patient organizations and other stakeholders have until October 19 to respond to the proposal. It is still unclear when the changes will be implemented and everyone will receive an EPD. Experts assume that this will not be the case before 2028.
Source:Blick
I am Liam Livingstone and I work in a news website. My main job is to write articles for the 24 Instant News. My specialty is covering politics and current affairs, which I’m passionate about. I have worked in this field for more than 5 years now and it’s been an amazing journey. With each passing day, my knowledge increases as well as my experience of the world we live in today.
