Benny Eklund

IT-Strategist, County Council of Uppsala

Experiences from Sweden

when patients get on line

access to the Medical Record

Milestones

• SUSTAINS Project started in 1997 (EU-funded)

• Getting the Electronic Health Records on line

for the Patient

• It initiated a long process in Sweden which led

to changing the legislation. New law since 1st

July 2008

Experiences after 6 years use at a

GP surgery

• Secure

• Easily implemented in General Practice

• Found usable by patient and doctor

• Improves quality of the EHR and the doctor-

patient relationship

• Empowers the patient

• The doctor Saves time

One

Example…

The Swedish Data Inspection Board

Possible services

• Mask sensitive data

• Track referrals

• Examine the EHR

• Change GP (when moving or similar)

• Book or rebook a consultation

• Pay a consultation fee

• Ask a question to the GP

• Fill out a Health Declaration Form

• Print out drug and lab result list before traveling abroad

Managing rights to access the

patient’s clinical information

• Providers now build up easy-to-access EHRs

for increased medical safety and provider

efficiency

• On the other hand patient must be offered

greater control who can access

I want the widest

possible

access!

Keep it as it is!

I want to open

it at the GP’s

surgery!

I want to open it

from home!

Four possible patient statements

Managing rights to access patients’

clinical information

• Self service

• The patient controls who has the right to access the

EHR

• Audit

• Patients check log by themselves

A major change of attitude among

health care providers?

• IKEA

• Shift of power from physicians to patients

• For healthcare providers the benefit is less

administration

Patient and doctor – Partners for

better Health Care