The electronic health record 2.0 enters the operational phase. The draft decree of the Minister of Health and the Undersecretary of State to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers with responsibility for technological innovation, in agreement with the Minister of Economy and Finance, received a favorable opinion today from the state-regions conference and will enter in force with the publication in the Official Gazette. That’s what it says in a note the Ministry of Health.
The decree identifies the contents of the file, the limits of responsibility and the tasks of the subjects who contribute to its implementation, the guarantees and security measures to be adopted in the processing of personal data in compliance with the rights of the client, as well as the diversified methods and levels of access and consists of three technical attachments.
Flopped health file: only 12% of Italians use it by Daniele Banfi 03 September 2021
What data will the new electronic health record (ESF) contain?
In particular, the ESF will contain the citizen’s identification and administrative data, first aid reports and reports, discharge letters, the synthetic health profile (i.e. the IT social-health document drawn up and updated by the general practitioner or from the paediatrics of choice which summarizes the patient’s clinical history and his known current situation), specialist and pharmaceutical prescriptions and other documents such as, among others, medical records, vaccinations and card data for implant bearers.
What changes for the citizens
The new bundle responds to the needs of citizens who will be able to consult clinical data, access telemedicine, emergency-urgency and drug delivery services, book health services. Citizens will have the right to access the “personal notebook”, a reserved section of the ESF where they can enter, modify and delete personal data and documents relating to their own treatment pathways.
Doctors, pediatricians and specialists
General practitioners, paediatricians and specialist doctors will be able to consult and analyze the clinical data of patients in support of diagnosis and treatment activities, for the preventive assessment of the prescriptive appropriateness and monitoring of patient adherence to treatment, for primary prevention and secondary and the booking of services for their clients.
Pharmacists, nurses, health directorates and research institutions
It will also be a useful tool for pharmacists’ activities, such as for example the distribution of medicines and the verification of the therapy provided, the recording and reporting of allergies and adverse reactions to medicines. Nurses and other health professionals will be able to consult the clinical data of the patients whose care they follow. It will be a tool for regional health directorates in the context of health prevention and planning activities but also for research institutions and their activities in the medical and biomedical fields.
Healthcare, Italy accelerates on data collection and integration by Anna Lisa Bonfranceschi 22 November 2022
Data entry
The feeding of the fse will be guaranteed by the local health authorities, by the public health structures accredited by the national health service and by the regional social-health services and by the territorial services for health assistance to seafarers (sasn), as well as by the authorized health structures and by the health professionals, even those affiliated with the NHS, when they work independently.
A file that is also valid outside your region of residence
The interoperability of the electronic health record, if the patient has to go to health facilities in regions other than that of assistance, is guaranteed by the national infrastructure for interoperability between the ESFs (Ini, ndr). The state-regions conference also gave a favorable opinion on the information flows “information system for monitoring rehabilitation assistance” (Siar), “information system for monitoring the activities provided by family counseling centers” (Sicof) and “information system for monitoring of home care” (Siad) which are closely connected and of strategic importance for feeding the ESF.
Telemedicine services
Lastly, the ministry informs the note, the planning decree of part of the 750 million euros for the creation of connected telemedicine services has been issued to the regions, an investment of which Agenas is the implementing entity and for which the achievement of the European target by December 2023.
When will it be active?
L’objective indicated by PNRR is that 85% of general practitioners feed the File by 2025 and that all Regions and Autonomous Provinces adopt and use the File by 2026.