Slovakia prepares to launch electronic healthcare information platform in 2011

2010-02-23

The Slovak Health Ministry has published a number of amendments to the Act on Public Healthcare Services to prepare the launch of its electronic healthcare information platform project. According to the Ministry, the project, called the E-Health Programme, will be completed by 2013. The aim of the amendments is to create new institutions and relevant electronic documentation in order to develop the project.
The E-Health Programme will be based on the National Healthcare IT System, which will store complex data and information about healthcare services in the country. The information provided within the system will be accessible through the National Healthcare Portal.
From 2011 onwards, in a pilot project, Slovak citizens will have online access to diverse healthcare information, including the availability of medicines, drug co-payment levels and alternative treatment, electronic prescriptions and an electronic appointment booking system, in addition to information about treatment in the EU and other countries. By 2013 Slovak patients will have seen the creation of an electronic health book, in which all information about the patient’s health, previous treatment and prescribed medicines will be stored. The total cost of the E-Health programme will be €252m.