The electronic patient dossier (EPD) is to be launched in Switzerland in mid-April 2020. Swisscom is supplying the technology to support this in 13 cantons, covering more than half of the Swiss population. In the EPD Projectathon, Swisscom successfully demonstrated the operational viability of the EPD throughout Switzerland in a series of practical tests.
During the first half of April, as part of the EPD Projectathon, Swisscom carried out extensive testing of the technical infrastructure and specific use cases of the EPD. The multi-day test series was initiated by the Federal Office of Public Health with the aim of giving the software providers the opportunity to test their EPD solutions under real-life conditions and develop them further with a view to obtaining the necessary state certification.
Together with other providers, Swisscom participated in nine group tests, in which it successfully tested, among other things, the opening of an EPD, patient access to documents and healthcare facility access to patient documents. The Swisscom team also successfully conducted numerous individual tests – focusing on authorisation and recording information, for example, as well as access to documents in an EPD. “The test results bear testimony to the sound work that we have completed in this area in recent years and show that we are on course for the EPD rollout in one year’s time,” says Thomas Bachofner, CEO of Swisscom Health.
Back in February, Swisscom conducted online test sessions, in which it successfully tested various EPD components and transactions with competitors as well as the reference infrastructure of the Swiss Confederation that will also be used for certification of the EPD platforms. As the only participant in the live tests conducted for the Projectathon, Swisscom was able, for the first time, to subject the actual EPD system and related user interfaces for health professionals and patients to intensive testing. We have made significant investments in this area over the last two years and are ahead of our competitors,” says Thomas Bachofner.
There is still some way to go before the planned rollout of the EPD in April 2020. However, Swisscom already successfully demonstrated at the EPD Projectathon that smooth operation of the EPD is possible throughout Switzerland despite different regions using technology from different manufacturers. Swisscom is providing the infrastructure on behalf of operating company axsana AG for 13 cantons, covering more than half, and therefore the greatest share, of the Swiss population.
Through its subsidiary Swisscom Health AG, Swisscom networks healthcare facilities and private individuals, offering innovative products and solutions. These range from electronic patient records for citizens and practice software for doctors through to complex process solutions for data communication between all the parties involved. The company has 130 employees in Zurich and Bern.