The Federal Council has announced the measures for the comprehensive revision of the Federal Act on the Electronic Patient Dossier (Bundesgesetz über das elektronische Patientendossier, EPDG), which aims to enhance the overall efficiency and effectiveness of health data management in Switzerland.

The draft of this comprehensive revision was submitted by the Federal Council for consultation in the summer of 2023. The evaluation of the consultation submissions indicated that the proposed measures have received broad support. One of the key objectives of the revision is to clarify the roles of the federal and cantonal authorities while ensuring the sustainable financing of the EPD. Furthermore, the EPD will be mandatory throughout the entire treatment chain. This requirement extends not only to hospitals and care facilities, but also to outpatient providers, who will be required to use the EPD and record all relevant data. Importantly, individuals residing in Switzerland who are covered by compulsory health insurance or military insurance will automatically receive an EPD at no cost. However, they will have the option to opt-out if they do not wish to have an EPD.

Moreover, the consultation revealed a strong demand for greater centralization of the technical EPD infrastructure. In response to this feedback, the Federal Council decided at its meeting on 27 September 2024, to include this centralization in the planned revision. The federal government will procure the central infrastructure through a public invitation to tender, with the aim of improving interoperability and reducing the complexity of the existing system.

Finally, the dispatch on the legislative revision will be submitted to Parliament in the spring of 2025.

For more information, see here.