The European Electronic Health Record. Critics and future

Electronic Health involves the integration of all information and knowledge sources involved in the delivery of healthcare. E-Health systems include: a) Electronic Health Records (EHRs). b) Health Identifier number. c) e-Prescribing. d) Telemedicine Systems. e) Automated Pricing. There are major disparities between countries on the deployment of EHRs part of an interoperable infrastructure. The idea of Electronic Health Records and e-Prescriptions is embedded in the concept of an “Electronic Health Card”. The European Health Insurance Card gives access to medically necessary, state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in any of the EU countries. EU Member States have different national laws on electronic health records (EHRs). Others challenges are: Different legal approaches on the content of EHRs, patient consent, list of health data, the terminology and Liability.

Despite the many benefits that result from the use of smart cards, haven several limitations. One of the main limitations is the cost of replacing the existing infrastructure. Additionally, the current standardization regarding medical records and health data is not sufficient and this problem must be resolved.