Digital medical record: Transitional funding initiated

The electronic patient dossier (EPD) is an important instrument in healthcare. According to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), the EPD is the first uniform, trustworthy platform in Switzerland for the exchange of important health information. All information relevant to treatment can be stored digitally in one place and accessed at any time by authorized persons, according to the FOPH. This improves the quality and safety of medical treatment. In order to further increase the benefits for patients and health professionals, the Federal Council wants to gradually develop and improve the EPD and has opened the consultation process for a comprehensive revision of the legal basis of the EPD at the end of June 2023. This comprehensive revision of the law will take several years, according to the report. However, in order to advance the dissemination of the EPD before then, the Federal Council is providing transitional financing for the parent communities, i.e. the EPD providers, in a separate bill.

Transitional funding: expected to be in place by the end of 2024

According to the FOPH, the period until the implementation of the comprehensive revision is a critical phase financially for the parent communities. The Federal Council therefore wants to support them with temporary financial aid from the federal government and thus promote the spread of the EPD. The federal government can grant a maximum of 30 francs per opened EPD, according to the media release. These financial aids are tied to a participation of at least the same amount by the cantons. In order to create an incentive for the parent communities to spread the EPD quickly, the support contribution by the federal government is based on the number of electronic patient files opened. According to the media release, the parent communities can apply for these grants retroactively for all EPDs opened since they went live. A payment framework of 30 million francs is planned for the federal financial aid, subject to the financial situation of the federal government. The bill will now go to parliament for consideration, so that it can probably enter into force at the end of 2024.

Safety has top priority

Data protection and data security must be guaranteed for the EPD. The highest security standards already apply to the EPD today, as the FOPH emphasizes. These are enshrined in law and can therefore also be legally enforced. The strict data protection and data security will remain guaranteed at the high security level with the revision of the law.

Comprehensive revision in a second step

The comprehensive revision of the law sent out for consultation in June 2023 is intended to clarify, among other things, the division of responsibilities between the federal government and the cantons and the financing of the EPD. In the future, the federal government should coordinate and finance the further development of the EPD. According to the FOPH, the cantons should ensure the existence of at least one parent community on their territory and assume responsibility for financing the operation of these parent communities.

According to the draft of the comprehensive revision of the law, an EPD will be opened automatically and free of charge for all persons who live in Switzerland and have compulsory health or military insurance. Each person would then decide for himself or herself which health professionals would have access to the dossier. Anyone who does not want an EPD can file an objection with the canton against the opening of the EPD.

More information about the EPD here