More than six million Belgians have given their consent for the secure exchange of medical data between healthcare providers. The Minister for Health, Maggie De Block indicated this on Monday in a communiqué. This consent enables providers to access the most recent medical data, in particular the results of the most recent blood test or medicines prescribed.
The eHealth platform counter recorded precisely 6,000,333 consents on Monday, compared to 35,000 at the beginning of the parliament which was at the end of 2014, according to the eHealth platform. The number of consents reached the bar of one million at the end of May 2015, and exceeded five million at the beginning of this year.
The individuals have allowed their healthcare providers access to their medical records. This includes those providers with whom they have a therapeutic relationship. The system is such that doctors in their given mutuality organisation, their insurer or a given occupational physician, cannot consult this data. The Minister says that the consent for the exchange of data by electronic means enables a quick diagnosis, avoiding repetition of similar examinations whilst at the same time making savings.
She adds, “As a patient, there is every interest in a healthcare provider having access to the most recent information from your medical file.” She goes on, “In this way, there is the certainty of having available all necessary data enabling you to quickly establish the correct diagnosis, even if it is the first time we are examining a given patient.”
The Brussels Times
