National Council opens federal coffers to boost e-patient dossier
Published: Thursday, Dec 14th 2023, 13:40
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The National Council wants to provide federal funding for the widespread introduction of electronic patient records (EPR). On Thursday, despite widespread criticism of the EPR, it approved a Federal Council bill on transitional funding for dossier providers.
With 133 votes in favor, 55 against and 2 abstentions, the Council rejected a motion by several SVP National Council members at the beginning of the deliberations and then dealt with the bill. This provides for temporary transitional funding for dossier providers and still has to go through the Council of States.
A maximum of CHF 30 million in federal funding is to be used to promote the spread of the e-patient dossier among the population even before the major reform of the Federal Act on the EPR. This is provided that the cantons contribute at least the same amount to the annual costs of the EPR providers.
The electronic patient record is a digital collection of important information relating to a person's health. The Confederation is pursuing several goals with the EPR: The aim is to improve medical treatment, increase the efficiency of the healthcare system and improve patient safety.
In the law, the federal government refers to assistance for "core communities". This refers to EPR providers that enable both healthcare professionals and patients to open an EPR, while "communities" are only open to healthcare professionals.
"EPD itself is a patient"
The EPD as it currently exists is itself a patient, said Thomas de Courten (SVP/BL) in support of his motion to reject the proposal. "So that it doesn't die of thirst, we are now attaching a saline solution to it for 30 million". He was actually a fan of the EPD and the digitalization of the healthcare system.
However, there is still no agreement on important issues, such as the role of the electronic ID (e-ID) in the EPR and exit options for opponents. "We should think carefully about whether we simply squander 30 million," says de Courten.
Other members of the National Council also voiced criticism and reported, for example, on laborious self-experiments when opening the dossier. Only a few tens of thousands of people in Switzerland had opened an EPR. However, several speakers also said that the EPD was promising and that digitalization in the healthcare sector was a necessity.
In its detailed deliberations, the National Council decided, among other things, to limit transitional funding to five years. Service providers will also be obliged to join a certified community or master community. This is intended to promote the rapid spread of the EPD.
Sanctions are provided for if service providers do not comply with this obligation. In overall votes, the National Council approved a revision of the EPD Act and a federal decree on financial aid.
Expected to come into force at the end of 2024
The Federal Council intends to comprehensively revise the EPR Act in the near future because it wants to further develop the electronic patient dossier in line with the objectives described above. This revision of the EPD Act is currently being consulted on and has recently been heavily criticized by the Conference of Cantonal Directors of Public Health, although it has not been called into question.
The Federal Council decided on transitional funding to ensure that the EPR can be financed until these comprehensive changes come into force. This is what the National Council discussed as the first chamber on Thursday. This bill is expected to come into force at the end of 2024.
This transitional proposal was recently criticized by the Eastern Switzerland Intergovernmental Conference (ORK). It demanded that the federal government stop at the EPD. Before parliament decides on additional funding, fundamental problems must be solved.
The EPR is based on an outdated technical solution. There is hardly any benefit for patients. It also lacks a cost-reducing effect.
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