The Danish patient portal as a blueprint?

• TRANSFORMERS.health
• May 6, 2024
• GLOBAL TRANSFORMATION
• expertlab
• 0 Comments

At a recent congress in Berlin, there was a bit of a “hospital doomsday vibe” at times. However, Danish doctor Mette Maria Skjoeth’s presentation offered a refreshing change from the gloom. She presented the national patient portal Sundhed.dk, showcasing what’s already routine in Denmark but still in its early stages in Germany. Stefanie Kemp, a board member and CTO of Sana Kliniken – one of Germany’s largest hospital groups, stressed the importance of rethinking data protection to replicate such successes.

Sundhed.dk serves as a central access portal to health data, allowing citizens to view their medical information – from doctor visits and lab results to medication plans. This system is built on a tradition of digital data collection and citizens’ trust in the public sector. Each citizen’s personal identification number enables seamless integration of various health databases throughout their lifespan, which, according to Skjoeth, is the key to the system’s success.

Our patients receive real-time results. When potentially sensitive data is involved, they are cautioned: ‘This data may be distressing. Please consult with your doctor first.’ However, the ultimate decision rests with the patients themselves.

Mette Maria Skjoeth

Ein weiterer Vorteil von Sundhed.dk ist die Möglichkeit für Patienten, in Echtzeit auf ihre Gesundheitsdaten zuzugreifen, was eine aktive Beteiligung an der eigenen Gesundheitsversorgung fördert.

The MedCom standard forms the basis for all electronic communication in healthcare, enabling broad integration of various providers. More than 700 systems communicate with each other, forming the backbone of the digital infrastructure, with the MedCom standard ensuring high data protection standards.

“We need to get there.”

In response to the presentation from Denmark, Stefanie Kemp, a board member and CTO of Sana Kliniken, emphasized that data protection in Germany is often perceived as a barrier to digital innovations.

In Germany, we tend to complicate things by adding another 100 percent on top of the data protection requirements.

Stefanie Kemp

In contrast, the Danish practice demonstrates that a high level of data protection and advanced digital healthcare can go hand in hand. Kemp argued that the European General Data Protection Regulation prioritizes health over data protection. This approach allows countries like Denmark to address security concerns in the context of digital health solutions more effectively, thus realizing a more comprehensive and efficient patient care.