
Doctors in Austria can now access patient health records using their smartphones, thanks to a new feature that allows mobile devices to function as E-Card readers.
The system, launched through the Meine SV-App, was unveiled during a press conference by the Federation of Social Insurance Institutions and the Austrian Medical Association on Wednesday.
The app, available on Google Play and the Apple App Store, enables patients to grant secure access to their Electronic Health Record (Elga) via E-Authorisation. Officials say the system will simplify home visits, care home consultations and telemedicine appointments.
Healthcare Milestone
Peter Lehner, Co-Chair of the Conference of Social Insurance Institutions, hailed the initiative as a “milestone in healthcare digitalisation,” while Edgar Wutscher, Vice President of the Austrian Medical Association, praised the teamwork behind its development.
“With limited funding and excellent teamwork, we have created a system that delivers significant advantages to both patients and healthcare professionals,” said Wutscher.
The project, which cost €600,000, was launched earlier this year as part of efforts to improve care in residential homes, particularly in medication management. Following a successful pilot phase, the system is now available to all doctors connected to the E-Card network, although independent private doctors are not fully covered.
How It Works
To use the service, patients need an NFC-enabled smartphone, an NFC-capable E-Card and the Meine SV-App. Authorising access involves opening the app, searching for the doctor by name or postcode and holding the E-Card against the smartphone.
This grants doctors access to electronic medical records for 90 days and vaccination records for 28 days. Prescriptions can also be logged directly into the system.
No health data is transmitted during the authorisation process. Instead, only the patient’s social insurance and identification numbers are shared, with data protected through end-to-end encryption. Patients can also track who has accessed their records and when.
Officials described the system as “100% secure” and highlighted its simplicity for users.