‘All Belgians should have global medical file’, says doctors group
The Order of Doctors would like to see legislation requiring all patients to maintain a digital medical file with their GPs
Info anywhere, anytime
According to recent figures, about one-third of people living in Flanders do not have a global medical file, with numbers among young people higher than that. Michel Deneyer of the order told Het Nieuwsblad that it is also essential for doctors on call and specialists in hospitals to have access to all information. “Only if they have access to accurate and complete information can they offer the best treatment to patients,” he said.
The order also said that the most crucial medical info should be united in a summary. If a patient ends up at the emergency department, doctors could then quickly consult the medical history online.
Federal health minister Maggie De Block is not in favour of an obligation to maintain a global medical file. This would limit people in their freedom to choose a GP, she said.
