E-patient dossier: Baden leads the way

The certification of the electronic patient dossier (EPD) was completed in mid-November 2020. Therefore, the Aargau Health Director Jean-Pierre Gallati was recently able to open the first EPD in Switzerland. It is another milestone for the parent community eHealth Aargau.

EPD can be opened at the post office

The EPD is expected to be available to the population of Aargau in the course of January 2021, according to information from the canton. The first location where the EPD can be opened will be the post office in Aarau, the canton's capital. By the end of March 2021, the EPD will be rolled out in all acute hospitals, rehabilitation clinics and psychiatric wards in the canton of Aargau. Nursing institutions, on the other hand, which would have to offer an EPD by 2022, would be gradually introduced to the project. The same applies to outpatient service providers such as doctors' surgeries and pharmacies, which will also be prepared to use the EPD from January 2021.

Digitization in the healthcare sector

According to the parent organization eHealth Aargau, the Swiss healthcare system is taking an important step towards digitalization with the EPD. The advantage of the electronic solution is that patients and healthcare institutions can store data and documents digitally in it. In addition, other treatment providers can access the EPD regardless of time and place. This leads to a qualitatively better, safer and more efficient treatment process, as is emphasised.

Patients themselves determine who receives access rights to their personal EPD. In this way, they are actively involved in decisions that affect their health, and the patient thus strengthens his or her health competence.

Source: Parent community eHealth Aargau