Conference Responsible Innovation 18-19 April 2011 - Debate Implementation of the electronic patient record: How to gain the trust of health care professionals

Implementation of the electronic patient record. How to gain the trust of health care professionals?

Prof. Sjef Gevers Project leader
University of Amsterdam/AMC, Dpt. Social Medicine, Health Law Section

Dr Corrette Ploem
University of Amsterdam/AMC

Dr Sjaak Nouwt Member valorisation panel
KNMG

www.nwo.nl/mvi/projects/gevers

Presently, an important new technical development is (to be) introduced within the Dutch health care sector: the national electronic patient record (EPR). With this new system, patient data will be available at any moment from every health institution or medical practice. An appropriate implementation of the national EPR promises improvement of the quality of health care and a reduction of costs. This being said, it appears that several factors form a threat for a successful implementation of the national EPR. An important one, and main focus of our study, is the willingness of health care professionals (who play a key role in both the implementation and application of the EPR within their practices and institutions) to accept and use the national EPR system.

In this research project we focused on three issues which can be considered crucial in gaining trust of physicians and other professionals involved in medical data storage and further data processing. The first one relates to the quality (relevance, accuracy, actuality etc.) of the data withdrawn from and imported into the national EPR system, the second to the security (privacy protection and confidentiality) of medical data, and the third to the legal responsibilities and potential liability of health professionals in the context of the national EPR. Without a sufficient degree of quality, security and legal certainty, physicians and other professionals cannot be expected to cooperate in its full implementation.

The study resulted in conclusions and possible recommendations on (additional) voluntary or statutory regulation, technical measures and/or organisational arrangements that are instrumental in increasing and ensuring trust of health care professionals using the national EPR system.

• The most important function of the EPR-Law should not be the introduction of a new (national) system of information sharing. Instead it should clarify the rights and duties of those involved in electronic information sharing.