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Digital healthcare services for Switzerland EPR use cases that create real added value

The electronic patient record (EPR) is being continuously developed to unlock its full potential benefits for healthcare provision in Switzerland. Specific functions and services – known as use cases – play a key role in this effort.

From the existing vaccination module to planned services such as e-vaccination and the electronic emergency passport, the EPR is expected to become a practical everyday companion and further improve its benefits for healthcare.

The new Post E-Health platform allows a wide range of healthcare services to be integrated and provided more quickly and easily.

The electronic patient record Secure health information in one place

The electronic patient record (EPR) is a digital collection of personal health information. It contains personal medical information such as discharge reports, medication lists and X-ray findings. It gives healthcare professionals access to important information – but only with the permission of citizens. Because citizens themselves decide who can see their record.

 

The most important functions at a glance:

  • Store and manage health data and documents
    Ideally, treatment-related information is uploaded to the EPR directly by healthcare professionals or their IT systems. However, citizens can also add documents themselves.
  • Manage access
    Citizens define who is allowed access to their EPR – whether individual doctors, specific departments or entire healthcare facilities. Access can be time-limited and modified at any time.
  • Track access
    The EPR’s log function allows citizens to monitor and track access to their health data. It provides an additional notification in the event of emergency access.
  • Representation for children, parents or legal representatives
    People who do not want to or cannot manage their EPR themselves can assign its management to a trusted person. This can be a doctor, a nurse or someone in their personal life.
Doctor holding a person’s arm ready for vaccination, close-up in the treatment room.

E-vaccination Vaccination protection at a glance

Even today, vaccinations are usually still documented on paper, which however is often lost or unavailable when it is needed. This means that there is no full overview of personal vaccinations and that in an emergency, the data is not accessible to either patients or professionals.

 

The structured vaccination record in the EPR offers a secure solution that can be accessed anywhere. In future, a vaccination check will be added to automatically compare an individual’s vaccination status with the FOPH recommendations. In addition to the check, reminders about expiring vaccinations and travel recommendations will also be available.

 

Digital vaccination checks help professionals to assess vaccination status. The Confederation, cantons and medical service providers enable national use of the service through integrated processes. E-vaccination is a key use case in the EPR and strengthens prevention and healthcare provision.

Electronic emergency passport Quickly available and life-saving

The electronic emergency passport in the EPR makes vital health data available immediately and anywhere. For service providers and emergency organizations, this means quick access to relevant information about pre-existing conditions, medications, allergies and relatives’ contact details.

 

The emergency passport also provides access to the most important medical data outside the scope of planned treatments, significantly increasing the benefits of the EPR for everyone involved and strengthening digital healthcare provision in Switzerland.

Emergency medical team pushes a patient on a stretcher through the hospital corridor.
Little girl hugs the belly of a pregnant woman and rests her head on it with a smile.

E-maternity pass and e-health record for children Focus on mother-and-child health

In future, the digital maternity pass and digital health record for children in the EPR will bring together all relevant information relating to pregnancy, birth and early childhood development – from the first check-up to developmental stages and vaccinations.

 

These functions support pregnant women, parents and professionals with up-to-date, structured data. Integrated into the electronic patient record, the maternity pass and health record for children will therefore become part of Switzerland’s digital healthcare ecosystem. They will link up prevention, treatment and documentation, making the EPR practical and easy to use in everyday family life.

Electronic patient decree In control, even in an emergency

The electronic patient decree ensures that an individual’s wishes are respected, even if they are no longer in a position to express them themselves. This is a document stored digitally in the EPR that is immediately available in an emergency, providing a solution for a highly sensitive issue irrespective of time or place.

 

With the electronic patient decree, citizens remain in control of their healthcare wishes. The decree can be updated on a regular basis, giving healthcare professionals clear guidance on what and what not to do, and therefore reducing unnecessary treatments and difficult decisions.

 

A valid patient decree can already be stored in the EPR today, making it available to service providers. In future, patient decrees drawn up in consultation with specialists will be stored directly in the EPR by healthcare organizations.

Doctor with surgical mask and glasses looks intently at the patient under the operating light.
Pharmacist processes a digital prescription on the computer in a modern pharmacy.

E-prescription Easy and digital filling of prescriptions

The e-prescription replaces paper – and is completely digital and securely encrypted. It allows Swiss citizens to fill their prescription flexibly, whenever and wherever it suits: at a local or online pharmacy.

 

The e-prescription data is stored in a structured format in the electronic patient record and remains permanently available. The data forms the basis for further use cases, such as an up-to-date medication plan. The e-prescription therefore creates end-to-end digital processes between medical practices, citizens and pharmacies.

 

An e-prescription can already be stored and filled in the EPR today. The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) plans to develop a national specialist service.

E-medication Digital medication plan and medication list

The digital medication plan in the EPR shows the medications an individual is taking at a glance. This allows healthcare professionals to avoid duplicate prescriptions and drug interactions – in particular in people with chronic illnesses or in older people. The medication list collects all current medications and past medications. E-medication improves the quality of medical treatment, increases treatment safety and connects stakeholders.

 

Medication plans can already be stored as a document in the EPR today. Together with partners, Swiss Post is working on a solution for entering medication plans in a structured format. 

Person holding a glass of water in one hand and a capsule in the other, close-up.
Researcher in a white coat works intently with a microscope in the laboratory.

Additional services Secondary use of data for research

The goal of the comprehensive revision of the law governing the EPR is to enable the secondary use of data for research and public health purposes. This requires that the data be verified, anonymized and approved by the EPR holder.

 

Anonymized records do not allow individuals to be identified. Data that is not anonymized may only be used for each specific purpose with express, individual consent.

Fits into your infrastructure

Fits into your infrastructure Simply integrated, simply secure

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Logo of Swiss Post Sanela Health AG - the contact for digital health services in Switzerland for the electronic patient record (EPR).

Post Sanela Health Ltd

As a non-profit organization, Post Sanela Health AG is committed to promoting quality, efficiency and cost-effectiveness in healthcare. It provides the EPR to members of the Sanela reference community in accordance with the Federal Act on the Electronic Patient Record (EPRA). Sanela also operates other digital healthcare services, such as for radiological findings, a digital process for opening an EPR (with eID) and mobile access to the EPR.

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Logo Mon Dossier Santé - EPD provider in the canton of Neuchâtel based on the Post E-Health platform.

Mon Dossier Santé

Mon Dossier Santé connects the healthcare system in the canton of Neuchâtel with the electronic patient record (EPR). Mon Dossier Santé is based on the Post E-Health platform and enables healthcare professionals to share necessary and important medical information for the treatment of Neuchâtel's citizens.


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