Share
The system for random allocation application in the Territorial Expert Medical Commissions (TEMC), developed by Information Services, has reduced the average time for reviewing patients` applications from 73 days to a maximum of 3 days, or by nearly 96%. This is a huge relief for citizens who apply for disability certification and had to wait several months for the documentation to be submitted to the medical commissions and for a decision to be issued. The changes to the Medical Expertise Control Information System (MECIS), which allows random allocation of applications, were introduced on June 21, 2024, and on the same day, the platform automatically distributed nearly 15,000 applications out of a total of 22,802 registered, for which the process was delayed and had no specific day and time scheduled for consideration. Prior the digitization of the process, applications were allocated manually by the Regional Expert Medical Commissions (REMC) to the TEMC, whereas now the process is fully automated.
"The introduction of random allocation application to the TEMC has ensured more transparency to the certification process and allows patients, many of whom are among the most vulnerable parts of the population, to receive their disability decisions in significantly shorter timeframes," stated Milena Ugrinova, Senior Business Analyst at Information Services. According to her, the digitization of the process makes it easier for health authorities by providing more traceability and collecting all medical documentation in one place.
Since October 2020, when MECIS was launched, over 730,000 applications have been processed through the platform, and nearly 700,000 expert decisions have been issued by the TEMC commissions. More than 38,000 appeals have been filed by patients following a decision by the Territorial Expert Medical Commissions. In the last 7 months, over 35% of the medical records of patients with medical expertise have been fully digitized.
The digitization of the system allows patients to submit electronic applications for certification without having to travel to the REMC and wait in queues. They can attach additional medical information required by TEMC, appeal commission decisions, etc. So far, more than 1,500 certification documents have been submitted electronically. Citizens can now also receive email notifications about the progress of submitted documents, the scheduled date of a commission meeting, a TEMC decision issued, etc. In the electronic health record, accessible through the National Health Information System portal at my.his.bg, patients have access to all available documentation related to medical expertise certification – referrals, protocols from the Medical Consultative Commission (MCC), applications, TEMC decisions, etc. It is expected that in the coming months, it will be available in the eZdrave mobile application with the addition of the "Medical Expertise" module.