Czechia to streamline healthcare system with shared patient records

The Czech Republic is taking a major step towards modernizing its healthcare system. On Wednesday, the government will discuss a draft amendment to the law on electronicization of healthcare, which will see the implementation of a shared health record for all patients. 

This shared record will include crucial information about a patient's health status, such as blood type, allergies, and participation in preventive examinations and screenings. The initiative, according to the Ministry of Health, is necessary for more efficient provision of healthcare services.

According to the government, the shared health record will be accessible to healthcare providers and workers, as well as the patient themselves. The introduction of shared medical records in Czechia promises to significantly enhance patient care by streamlining access to crucial health information for both doctors and patients.

Without shared medical records, crucial data about preventive screenings and examinations was often fragmented across various providers. Different specialists might not have communicated effectively, causing gaps in care and potential delays in treatment.

The original plan was for a patient's emergent record to be available, which includes only basic data such as blood type, allergies, and medications. However, the shared health record will expand on this information, providing a more comprehensive overview of a patient's health.

"One of the key benefits of the shared health record is that it will allow doctors to see if their patients have undergone recommended screenings," says Ondřej Jakob, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health.

Oncology is a big feature of the new scheme. The shared health record will also contain data on a patient's participation in recommended screenings at a given age. This includes screenings for cervical cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon and rectal cancer, and lung cancer for former and current smokers. 

The Ministry of Health states that without access to this information, duplicate and ineffective healthcare provisions can occur. In some cases, one doctor may recommend a patient undergo a screening, while another doctor may already have this information.

The estimated cost of implementing the shared health record is CZK 50 million, with an additional CZK 10 million for software tools. The Ministry of Health predicts that the use of electronic applications could save up to CZK 270 million per year for each percentage of e-applications that replace paper applications.

The new system aims to create a more integrated approach to patient health records, making critical information readily available to both patients and healthcare providers. This will enhance care coordination, improve preventive measures, and ultimately lead to better health outcomes for patients.