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New functionalities of eZdrave mobile application significantly increase the ability of patients to control the health system, protect it from abuses and siphoning of public funds. This was announced by the Minister of e-Government Alexander Yolovski during the presentation of the updated version of the application, which was developed by Information Services. All eZdrave users have the opportunity after updating the application, to activate push notifications, related to issuance of a new electronic health document or correction of issued one. In this way, they will be promptly informed about new records in their electronic patient record - prescription issued, referral, ready result of laboratory procedures, etc.
“An extremely important functionality of National health information system is already a fact. It is important because the citizens will now have much greater control over the events that are recorded in the system, and especially over the spending of a public funds. The government's policy in the area of digitalization is quite ambitious and healthcare is a major sector in it. With the introduction of the push notification of the mobile application, citizens will have one of the tools with which they will be able to alert the authorities when they detect unauthorized access or unauthorized operation in the health system, in more reliable manner, "Minister Yolovski stated.
More functionalities are planned in the future, such as prescription or referral expiration reminder, reminder for the next pharmacy visit for chronic disease medicinal products, reminders for medicinal products administration and many more that will assist patients in their daily life when treating a long-term illness. These notifications can be used both as a control mechanism and as a reminder for medicinal products administration.
“Through increased control on the patient’s part, we expect to improve the quality of the performed medical activities and increase the control over the funds spent by the NHIFund", said Stanimir Mihaylov, governor of the National Health Insurance Fund. According to his words, now, patients can receive information in real time and control the activities carried out to them, financed by the National Health Insurance Fund.
Version 3.0 of eZdrave also upgrades the patient’s electronic record by adding Hospitalization module. It contains data on current and completed patient hospitalizations. The information is divided into two main categories - "On admission" and "On discharge", including diagnoses, performed outpatient procedures, accommodation, issued sick leave, еpicrises, etc. This practically stops the vicious practice of some medical facilities to register a fictitious hospitalization without patient’s knowledge, as such cases revealed lately.
"This new functionality covers the entire process of hospitalization in the patient's electronic health record. Patients can see and control everything that is filled in their health record both upon admission and discharge from the hospital facilities and, if necessary, to inform both the attending physician and the Ministry of Health" commented Boris Kostadinov, Director of Software Integrations at Information Services.
The eZdrave mobile application facilitates users to have information at any moment about their examinations, referrals, prescriptions, vaccines, hospitalizations, laboratory procedures results, and other general health information, registered in National health information system (NHIS).The eZdrave mobile app can be downloaded for free from App Store and Google Play. Access to electronic health documents in eZdrave is done through a one-time pairing of the application with the personal patient record, available in the NHIS at my.his.bg through a computer browser. Due to the high requirements for the security of personal and medical data, access to the personal patient record is done only through a qualified electronic signature (QES) via e-Authentication. Users can use a qualified or cloud-based electronic signature.
The security of the information in the eZdrave mobile application is guaranteed with additional biometric protection, which is activated at the user's request. NHIS records every action that is performed in the electronic file. “Regardless the action is by the patient, medical professional or other authorized person, the system keeps an Audit log: who logged in, what information they have been accessed, when they have been logged in and on what purposes”, Minister Yolovski said. All that information is visible both on the web version and in the eZdrave app through “Audit log” module. If the user notices unauthorized or incorrect access, according to him, he can contact the relevant authorities for inspection.
In order to facilitate patients and doctors as much as possible, the NHIS has also provided the use of pen-tablets through which patients will sign the outpatient card after examination.
“The functionality allows the patient to verify the entire content of the document by being able to read what is written on the screen and not just to put a signature in a certain column", said Ivaylo Stoychev, Project manager at Information Services. All information is sent to the NHIS with the possibility of verifying the signature on the pen-tablet. "Through the new functionality, it will not be needed to print a paper document which the patient has to sign. Currently, only outpatient card after examination can be signed, but the NHIF is also considering adding more e-documents which to be signed through pen-tablets", explained Stanimir Mihaylov.