Electronic patient dossiers should be mandatory

In the dawn of the 25. October 2018 and it comes in the Berner Bund alley to a unique parade of Power: Two Federal councilors, the Federal Chancellor, the President of the most prestigious universities in the country, top representatives of Roche, Givaudan, SBB, Swisscom, UBS, Google and other large companies, representatives of business associations, a service Director, a councillor, a Council of States, several secretaries-General – all to go back to the Bernerhof, the seat of the Department of Finance.

The Meeting is not in the public agenda of the Federal government. 25. October 2018 discuss Doris Leuthard and Johann Schneider-Ammann with the Advisory Board, "Digital Transformation", probably the most high-profile Advisory body of the Bundesrat for decades, the digitization of health care. A controversial topic.

In the doctor's offices and operating rooms, in laboratories, and in the case of the insurers, the digital Revolution has long since arrived. It promises many things: more accurate diagnoses, better treatments, lower costs, and breakthroughs in research.

Poorly protected data

But it also has dangers. Patients leave an ever-wider track of health data. The data are often poorly protected. And the technological progress enables ever finer analysis, which is a safe anonymity is almost impossible. Those who join in today in good faith in a medical research project, loses maybe once his insurance coverage because of its data, a genetic predisposition. It may be in ten years, in twenty, or in fifty. Unlike Bank accounts or passwords, health data can have across generations in a statement.

Just because the topic of E-Health is so delicate, the Federal government, it has so far been very careful. When he published in September 2018, the strategy "Digital Switzerland", he said, that in health care ", the principles of informational self-determination and the voluntary nature of need to keep a high priority". Only in this way could not be ensured that the data revolution is threatening the social solidarity.

In a drop of blood, tons of sensitive information. Whom is this intended to benefit? Photo: Keystone

On the 25. October 2018 in the Bernerhof, the tonality was quite different. This is evident from the minutes of the meeting, which Tagesanzeiger.ch/Newsnet, having regard to the principle of publicity, has asked. The document shows how the economy builds pressure on politicians to provide it with access to the health data of the Swiss. And the willingness of representatives of the Federal government, these requests to meet, if possible, with incentives, if necessary with coercion. Privacy and privacy , informational self-determination and voluntariness are that Morning in Berne at the most on the edge of a topic.

"More Leadership from the Federal government" is not required

From the beginning, complain to the various speakers, that the digitization of the health care system in Switzerland is fast enough and the framework for E-Health are unfavorable. Health data would have to be abroad purchased. Would strict regulatory requirements of the research hinder, for example in the case of the multiple use of medical data or in the use of using a mobile App collected values.

Quickly, the discussion is focused on the medical Profession and the electronic patient dossier. In 2015, the Parliament has passed a law that puts Doctors to the electronic Patient record to participate. The Zurich cantonal Council Thomas Heiniger (FDP), President of the cantonal health Directors ' conference, doesn't like this provision, because it inhibits the diffusion of E-Dossiers. The "voluntariness must be viewed in perspective," says Heiniger. The Patient record was not the solution, but a good first step that needed to succeed.

Heiniger: "it would be Quicker with law compulsion"

Pascal Strupler, Director of the Federal office for public health, although, it must first of all go to explain the Use of the electronic Patient files better. However, after Swisscom CEO Urs Schäppi to the electronic Patient record, "more Leadership from the Federal government" calls on Chancellor Walter thurnherr and Federal councillor Doris Leuthard this Ball. Whether we need "more pressure" on the Doctors, ask Thurnherr. Whether regulatory approaches are necessary, double-Leuthard.

it is voluntary would presumably be more sustainable, "but it would be quicker with law compulsion," says Zurich's health Director, a Liberal. A lever looks Heiniger in the case of admission restrictions for Doctors. Anyone who wants to be admitted, must participate in the electronic patient dossier.

"A luxury of the Healthy"

in addition to legal coercion, the Advisory Committee also discussed the principle: money data. Christoph Franz, President of the pharmaceutical group, Roche, points out that "targeted financial incentives" could help to move the Doctors to a Change in the digitization.

according to Jürgen Schmidhuber, pioneer in artificial intelligence, and also the patients to earn money with your data. There is a provider and buyer. Ultimately, you must decide on the entire value chain: How much of the contribution of the patient's value is, what is the contribution of the hospital is worth it?

"You also have to move the Healthy, your data to give away."Calvin Grieder

The Secretary-General of the interior Minister Alain Berset explains the fact that the interior Department in this direction of Reflection instead. For example, by the health insurance companies would have cheaper premiums. On demand it means in the interior Department, this idea has since been discarded.

Calvin Grieder, President of the fragrance group, Givaudan, head of the items on the Agenda, E-Health, then more. Privacy is "a luxury of the Healthy," he says. "But you have to move the Healthy, your data to give away."

At the end of the two-hour meeting in the Bernerhof, the economy would like to thank Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann all those present for the Thinking and help to Shape "in this power house of digitizing". He was very impressed by what had been named as Ambition.

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 17.02.2019, 21:41 PM